Flames of innocence
by Wandering-Recluse
Summary: ON HIATUS. Erik and Christine meet after 10 years apart. But why can't she remember him? And why does he stir memories that are better left forgotten? AU modern day. ExC naturally.
1. Chapter 1

**Yes, yes, I know. I still have two multi chapter phics waiting to be updated. But I swear, I can handle three at once. Love Shines Brightest in the dark is going to be updated soon and I'm still working on who's POV The Opera's Ghost is going to be from. **

**This is different from all my other phics, Erik and Christine never met at the Opera House, the events of POTO never happend, that sort of thing. But they have met before...**

**Anyway, before I give too much away I want to say that this is dedicated to mon ami Reagan. This phic would have never happened if she had not told me to write it and encouraged me.  
**

**Sadly, I own nothing....a book and a dvd and that's about it. *Mumbles* Stupid ALW...**

"Monsieur, monsieur, would you like some company tonight? A girl to warm your bed?" A prostitute cried out from the side of a street. The man who she had called to looked at her and contemplated.

"How much do you charge?" He growled. She lit up, a customer!

"50 Euros a night monsieur." She replied eagerly. This was her first job, though her innocence would not be taken. It had been stolen from her, years ago.

"Alright..." The man started to say before another voice interrupted him.

"Don't go with her monsieur, this is her first night. You need an experienced woman who can give you pleasure, and I only charge 30 euros a night." The second prostitute said sweetly. He looked between the two, the second one defiantly had the advantage, she was cheaper, experienced and she looked like she could give more pleasure.

He looked apologetically at the first girl and left with the second one. The first girl almost started crying, a potential customer and he had been stolen away like so many that night. Now there were only two prostitutes left on the street, her and another blond haired woman who looked like it was her first time as well. Not on the street, but her first time ever. The first woman pitied this girl, but she at least would have her innocence taken on her own will.

The blond woman came over and looked at the other one, a brunette. She stuck out her hand in a handshake.

"Hi, I'm Meg Giry what's your name?" She asked. The brunette looked at her warily, as if this was another trick but took her hand after a moment.

"Christine Daae, this is your first night right?" She asked. Meg made a face.

"Yeah, a couple of years ago I didn't even know that there were whores in France anymore. Now, I am one, ironic, isn't it?" She asked.

Christine permitted herself a slight grin.

"I know what you mean. I have this job and one at a bar and I can hardly hold up rent! I never thought that I would become a person who sold herself on the street. I thought that people in 2009 were better than that. But I suppose not..." She trailed off looking at Meg.

Meg sat down next to Christine and they both flinched as a car splashed them both with water as it sped by. They groaned in unison.

Christine stood up.

"I don't know about you, but I am going home. I am not sitting here all night soaked in a skimpy outfit like this." She declared. Meg stood up more hesitantly.

"I would go home...if I had one." She muttered. Christine looked at her, shocked.

"What?" She asked incredulously. How could Meg not have a home?

Meg looked down, ashamed.

"I've been going through tons of jobs lately and now this is the last think that I can think of. My mom-the only parent I had left disowned me a couple months ago. I was partying too late and frankly, I was not the innocent people thought I was. After I got pregnant my mom kicked me out. It ended up in a miscarriage and now I have no place to live since my boyfriend dumped me." She shrugged.

Christine looked at her, surprised. _Well, I suppose I was wrong about her. _She thought, _but at least she had her innocence taken by choice..._ She shivered at the thought of what had been done to her so many years ago, when she was only 15.

Christine had been raped when she was walking home from school in New York.

She had stayed after dark and was walking home alone, her house had not been far away from her school and she decided to take a shortcut through a back alley. Looking back on it now it had been a stupid move, when you lived in New York you learned at an early age that you don't go through back alleys after dark if you valued your life.

In her defence she was late because she was practicing her music and she needed to get home quickly to reassure her father that she was okay. What an irony that turned out to be later.

She had been walking through the alley and all of a sudden a man grabbed her and held her close to him, his hand over her mouth. He had used something to knock her out with. When she came to she had already been defiled and she was left in the alleyway, bloody and broken. The police had picked her up later. They had questioned her and comforted her. Two month later the man had been caught while trying to rape another woman.

He had been sentenced to jail for life. Not only had he raped over 12 women he was guilty of homicide and second degree murder. He was not going to get out of jail.

But where did that leave Christine? She had been raped, in court and broken on the inside as well as out. To make matters worse, two months after the hearing he father died of a stroke. She was now an orphan and had no money. She had gone through many foster homes, most who didn't want her. Then, when she was eighteen she moved to France in hope that she could get a scholarship for a university. That didn't turn out so well so now she was sitting on the streets, trying to sell her body as well as working in a bar. Life was not going well for her. She had been afraid of men and intimacy for a while, but when she learned she had to do this to survive...well, when your life is at stake you learn to overcome your fears.

But back to her and Meg.

"Well...you could stay with me until you have enough money to pay for an apartment." Christine offered. Meg looked wary but said

"Are you sure? I wouldn't want to impose?" What she really meant was 'how do I know that you're not going to murder me?'

"I'm absolutely sure, I need company in my apartment, we can't stay up too late though, the walls are thin and people could hear us if we talk too loud." She reassured her what she really meant was 'people would know if I tried to murder you.'

"Alright, I'll pay you back someday." Meg promised. Christine frowned. She doubted that would be soon but she would have to take it as Meg promised it. They started heading towards Christine's apartment.

Meg was dragging Christine down the road as Christine gave the directions. When they were walking Meg accidently ran into a man. Both her and Christine well and started apologizing to him.

"Je suis désolee, monsieur. Mon amie est très bête." She said.

The man did not speak, but stood there staring at them. Christine had not yet looked up into his face in fear of seeing the malice in it. She tried to speak again in English, maybe the man did not understand French.

"I am very sorry sir. My friend is very dumb." She said. Meg elbowed her in the ribs and Christine squeaked in protest. She heard a chuckle come from the man but did not dare look up.

"C'estt rien."The man finally spoke. Christine gasped and her head shot up. The voice was the most perfect voice she had ever heard, it was an angel's voice.

She looked at the man's face. She was shocked to see that he was wearing a half mask on his face that was white. She immediately looked back down and said

"Est-que vous parlez francais ou englais? Do you speak french or English? » She asked him, translating into both languages. She had learned French in school while in a foster home in Canada. There's a slight difference between French in Quebec and French in Paris but Christine learned the differences quickly enough, and if not she picked up on them fast.

"Both, actually. But I originate from France but I moved to America when I was very young." The man said. Christine flinched, she felt a deep stirring within her, like she knew that voice, but she didn't.

"Well, monsieur, once again I am very sorry." She said as she dragged Meg away. She didn't like the feelings she got from that man, it reminded her all too much of those days after her father died...and the accident. Most of those memories were clouded in darkness, but little things could set them off, a saying here, an action there. The simplest thing. But for now she wanted to get away from that man and forget. She didn't even look back to see what the man was doing.

Erik stared at the woman that had just run into him as she walked away. It couldn't be her, it couldn't be! He had looked for her for almost ten years! Ten years he had looked for her and found no trace.

Christine Daae.

Oh, how he loved her! He had always loved her in the last ten years, there had been no other!

And now, because of a fluke meeting he would have her this time. Not that he hadn't almost had her that time, he had only been seventeen and she was fifteen. He hadn't known what love has like back then, when he had felt it.

He had been a fool, locking himself in his room, trying to get away from her haunting presence. The thing that had bothered him the most about her was that she appeared to be even more broken than him.

All he had known then was that her father had passed away, he didn't know anything beyond that. But later, he had made it his business to know everything about her. And he was horrified about what he had found.

Maybe we should start from the beginning.

You see Erik and Christine stayed in the same foster home for a year. It was her first and his sixteenth. Not that Erik really kept track anymore, he personally didn't care. People weren't kind to him back then, even less so then now. He had worn a full black mask because he had nothing else and his foster parents usually couldn't be bothered with something as trivial as his mask. Some of his homes had tried to force him to remove the mask, sometimes trying by force. He always refused, he would not let someone take his mask off, never.

This home had been one of , if not the best he had been in. He had been there a few months as the only child before Christine had come.

They had told him not to bother her, she was in a delicate condition. That she had lost both of her parents, her mother when she was born and her father recently of a stroke. The way they said this hinted there was more to her condition than just losing her family. At first he had no cared at all, she would probably be a bother to him, interrupting his music and always trying to see behind the mask.

Boy, had he been in for a shock when she had arrived. She looked like an angel, silky brown curls, wide blue eyes and skin that looked like porcelain. But her beautiful blue eyes were clouded over with pain and suffering.

He had gasped when he saw her, he felt something twinge in his heart and he didn't like it. He actually wanted to make this girl smile, make her smile when he himself had never smiled because he had no reason to.

He had fled back up to his , they had not even realized that he had been watching them from the staircase.

He had locked himself in his room and refused to come out, he didn't want to meet the new girl. In truth he was just afraid of these new emotions that she seemed to pull from him.

She didn't see him for a good week after she first arrived. He, on the other hand was always watching her. He had even taken to going into her bedroom during the night and sing softly to her when she had a nightmare. She never woke up thankfully and Erik couldn't help but wonder what she would have done if she had awoke.

Eventually his affections progressed from admiration to love. This intensified when he learned that she used to sing. She was an angel to him and he called her that in private. When they were together though, he ignored her and only spoke to her when he had to. Though, this was only because he was afraid. For the first time in his life someone had a power over him that no matter what they did he would not be able to deny them.

As the months passed he became more and more anxious. His eighteenth birthday was coming up and at that time he could leave on his own and take the money that he had saved up and stored in the bank.

But he wondered how he could leave Christine. To never see her again.

Then, after he grew frustrated with himself he began to try to get her out of his mind. He tried to convince himself that after he didn't see her for a while he would forget all about her. After all, it's not like she had ever actually spoken to him on her own will. She didn't seem to speak to any man on her own will actually. And she flinched from their touches.

He found this quite strange, he wondered why. There was one particular incident that he remembered quite well.

Christine had been climbing the stairs, up to her room. The foster parents were out of the house, shopping and Erik had stood by, watching as always.

Then, she had tripped and started to fall down the stairs. Erik couldn't let his angel get hurt so he dove out and caught her before she landed. She fell straight into his arms and remained there in shock for a few seconds. Then, she screamed and jumped out of his grip. She had her back pressed up against the wall, her eyes were closed and she was sobbing and muttering incoherently. Erik could barely understand a word she was saying but managed to catch a few phrases.

"Please..don't hurt me....no...no! Papa! Help!" She sobbed. He stood there in a state of shock for a moment but then hid and waited. She eventually fell asleep like that and he picked her up and carried her to her room. He tensed when he had picked her up, he was afraid that she might wake up and start screaming again. He wondered what had happened to her.

It eventually came time when he had to leave. He bid his 'family' goodbye and moved into an apartment that he had bought.

He tried to push Christine out of his mind for months. He tried very hard, but he was unsuccessful. Finally he gave up and looked into her background a bit, he was now employed as a composer at the Met and he had lots of money to spare. And he also had his friend Nadir Khan who worked for the police.

He had Nadir get Christine's file and was appalled at what he had found there. She had been taken and raped. Now he understood her fear of him when he had caught her that time and why she had nightmares every night. Now he understood everything.

After that he realized that since he was a legal adult he might be able to get custody of Christine, to have her live with him!

He never saw her again after the day he left. Her foster parents and her moved to Canada and the agency that had previously taken care of her were no longer responsible for her, soon the couple had chosen to adopt Christine legally. Then, the man had died of cancer and left the woman and Christine. That was all he could find out.

He had looked for her for ten long years, and now he had finally found her. And she would be his.

**Yes! Go Erik! Yeah, this chapter was all of their past I suppose. Now we know where we are with the story though.**

**There will be a lot of French in this story,not only because I love French but because my teacher makes us practice for 30 mins each night, so this counts as my practice I suppose. It's better than going on wikipedia and reading through their articles in french, trust me.**

**Anyway, when Erik says Il est rien, it means It is nothing. Sorry for my horrible french but we're not allowed to use translators...if anyone sees a problem with my french please tell me, I need to know so I can tell madame I learned something...  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**You have no idea how sorry I am. I would have updated sooner, but last...Monday? I think it was Monday night or Tuesday morning I got my laptop taken away. It seems parents don't like it when your on the computer at 12:30 in the morning on a schoolnight. I had to do 8 hours of manual labor to get it back. I ould have gotten it back on Saturday perhaps but I went camping with my best friend and got back today. That was horrible by the way, she is not an outdoors person-I am. But I got lots of new story ideas from when I went canoing by myself. Anyway, it is now 11:57 pm and I think that I'd better get to sleep so I can go to school tomorrow. I also have my math AFLs, the Saskatchewan wide math test. I'm going to fail horribly by the way.... Oh- and for those of you subscribed to me, sorry about that double story posting and deleting some of your reviews, I accidently deleted this story and had to repost it.  
**

**Anyway, I don't own POTO. Gaston Leroux does and I took Erik's appearance from the ALW stage show....  
**

Chapter 2

Christine looked over her shoulder nervously, she had a feeling that she had been watched ever since she had ran into that man. She figured that she was just paranoid. After what happened so many years ago she never had gotten over her paranoia that someone was going to jump out and do something to her again. It was her worst fear, the only one that came close was her fear of being alone.

When she had been left in that alley she had experienced for the first time in her life, what it meant to be truly alone. She had thought she was going to die. She had been hit with a blunt object to the head to knock her out and when she awoke she had a concussion.

She had thought she was going to bleed to death there. She was left laying on the ground, unable to move and she had thought that she was going to die alone.

That had scared her more than the accident itself. There was no way to describe the unbearable loneliness and pain thinking that you're going to die, and die alone to top it all off.

Luckily there had been an officer who was patrolling near there and he had heard her desperate cries for help. He had found her and called the ambulance. The rest had taken off from there.

Now, she had to have some kind of noise around her constantly. During the night she kept the radio, t.v or her ipod on so that she would always hear something comforting if she woke up.

She wondered how having Meg in her apartment would work. If she were asleep and Meg were to wake her up and she accidently hurt her...she would not be able to live with herself. She was better than that man who had ruined her life. She could not possibly hurt another human on purpose. It was against what her father had taught her.

But she figured that she could at least try, she put Meg on the couch and warned her not to go into her room when she was sleeping and to not, under any circumstance, sneak up on her or scare her.

She didn't give the reason of course, but she made it very clear that something bad would happen if she did.

Meg, promised that she would do this, how could she say no? Christine was giving her shelter, she would have to obey the ground rules at least. She wouldn't get herself kicked out of this place, not like her mother's house.

She felt incredibly guilty for doing that to her mother. She was always tempted to go back and apologize to her but remembered how angry she was before she left and decided that it was for the best that she had left. Her mother didn't want a whore as a daughter anyway.

She and Christine stayed up a bit later, talking about random things. Not deep things, stuff like pets and so on. It was a chance to get to know each other better. Meg learned something very interesting about Christine actually. It started out on a harmless topic, school.

"So, Christine. Where did you go to school?" Meg had asked her. Christine was hesitant at first but decided to tell her.

"Mostly in New York, but I've been to school in Canada and all over the U.S as well. There was no specific place really." She replied. Meg was curious, why had she moved so often? But she decided to leave it alone, she would have told her if she wanted to.

"What were you planning to be when you got out of school?" Meg asked.

"Before I turned fifteen I had wanted to come here and sing in the Paris opera house, become a star. If that didn't work out I wanted to sing on Broadway..." Christine replied, staring off into space, thinking back to those days. Her father had played the violin and she would sing, after he died she had no intention of singing ever again. To this day, she couldn't even hum a tune without bursting into tears.

"Can you sing for me?" Meg wondered. Christine looked at her sharply.

"No." She said in a voice that allowed no arguments.

They proceeded onto a safer topic after that. Meg wondered why Christine had stopped singing. Christine felt slightly guilty for being so abrupt but she couldn't help it. She wouldn't sing anymore. If Meg wanted, she could play some CDs of her when her father rented a studio one day and they sang and played music all day. She listened to them often, but she would not sing.

Meg eventually fell asleep on the couch and Christine dragged herself to the bathroom and then the bedroom. She was exhausted. None of the men, no matter how hard she tried, seemed attracted to her on the street. They always went for the ones that had more experience. She was glad that tomorrow she was working in the bar, not the 'pleasure district' as it had been dubbed. She needed a break.

She wanted to fight against what she was becoming with all of her soul, but no matter how hard she struggled her path of destiny was already set. And it did not look good from where she was standing. And there was really nothing she could do to stop it, nothing anyone could do, unless it was God himself.

She fell into a dreamless sleep for once, with her ipod earphones in her ears so that she wouldn't wake up Meg with the tv or radio.

Christine woke up first the next morning, always being the early riser and prepared breakfast as Meg slept on the couch.

Eventually the smell of eggs made Meg's stomach growl and wake up. She briefly tried to remember when the last time she had eaten was but couldn't. She jumped up from the couch eagerly and walked into the kitchen where Christine was sitting on the floor, eating. She didn't have enough money for a proper table and usually just ate on the couch. But she didn't want to wake Meg up so opted for the floor this time.

They sat on the floor together and ate. Christine was running out of food and she hoped that she got enough money from her tips tonight so she could go buy groceries tomorrow. She told Meg of her plans and Meg promised that she would not go to 'work' without Christine. She said that she was going to try and look again for a real job now that she had an address. When she had been on the street she wasn't allowed to apply for good jobs because she didn't have an address. If she had stolen money or done something they wouldn't have been able to track her down. Even she had to admit, it was a valid and good reason.

Christine didn't have to start work till four which meant she had to show up at about three forty five, she spent the rest of the day helping Meg try to find a job. There had been some promising offers but nothing really substantial. When Christine had asked Meg what she was best at she had hesitantly replied that she had taken ballet all her life and her mother used to be a ballet instructor. This gave Christine a great idea, Meg had all the qualifications for it, and it might get her out of her job!

She practically dragged Meg to the place that she had wanted to work in so many years ago, the Paris Opera House.

She had approached the ballet mistress, and talked to her for a while, she wanted to know how she could get Meg an audition, she had some very impressive credentials. Her ballet teachers were known and very impressive. The ballet instructor set her up with an audition time and said that they had come just in time, there was a new opera starting and they needed a new corps de ballet member, one of the other ones had run off with her lover after she had found out she was expecting.

When Christine looked over she saw tears in Meg's eyes. She realized that was pretty much what happened to Meg. She had gotten pregnant, run off with her lover and left her whole life behind. Her whole life ruined because of one simple mistake. Christine felt intense pity for Meg because of this. Wasn't her life so much the same? Her whole life had been shattered because she had chosen to take a back alley home one night.

She thanked the instructor and took Meg home. She practically skipped home, they both knew that she was going to get in. Christine on the other hand was always looking over her shoulder and into the shadows, she felt like she was being watched again. It was a horrible feeling really, thinking that you're being watched. You jump at every sound and cry out at every physical contact.

Christine dropped Meg off at home and went to her job at the bar. She had just put her uniform on when one of her fellow waitresses came up to her.

"Hey, Chris, there's a guy over there who asked to see you, he said that it was important." She said as she pointed to a table in the middle of the room. Christine tried to squint and see but couldn't. It was too dark in the bar. Before, she used to have to squint through smoke but since the smoking ban in 2008 people weren't allowed to smoke in the bar anymore. And since the business couldn't afford a smoking room there were no smokers in the bar.

She walked slowly over to the table and wondered what was "important" unless it was Meg...no the waitress had said it was a guy.

As she got closer she saw a flash of blond hair from the table. When she could see the features of the man her heart constricted P_lease Lord no, not him. It can't be him! I left him behind in New York eleven years ago!_

The man looked up and flashed her a smile.

"Christine Daae!" He greeted her. She felt her heart panic. She knew why he was here and she didn't want to explain everything to him.

"Raoul de Chagny." She greeted calmly, contrary to her emotions.

He motioned for her to sit down.

"Chris, we need to talk. What happened? Why did you leave me and our school so suddenly? I thought that you loved me." He said, his voice was clouded with emotion. Christine backed away and replied

"I'm sorry Raoul, I can't tell you. And I can't stop and chat, I have to work then go home. It would be best if you didn't get involved with someone like me." She said, leaving him with those words as she ran back into the kitchen to get someone's order. He tried to get her attention for the rest of the night but she refused to go near him.

When he realized he wouldn't be getting any answers he got up to leave. As he did so he 'accidently' ran into Christine as she was waiting on other customers. He slipped some bills into Christine's hand and whispered into her ear

"I'll find out eventually Chris, whether you want me to or not. I'll be back." With that he hurried out of the restaurant and into an awaiting car.

Inside Christine sighed and looked at how much money he had given her. He had stuffed ten, ten euro bills into her hand. She was hardly surprised, Raoul had always been rich. She wondered what he was doing in Paris. She knew that before he moved to New York he had lived in Paris and that his parents still lived here, but she had completely forgotten about that. As she had tried to forget him, no use crying over spilled milk.

But she couldn't.

Raoul had been her first and so far, last boyfriend. They had started dating when they were fourteen and they were still together when the accident happened. Then, she had disappeared off the face of the earth, to him at least. She had moved to a private school without so much as a word, then when he had gotten close to finding her she had moved to Canada. After that he had given up. Even the de Chagny's influences could only go so far.

She had missed him for the first few years. But she eventually stopped the heartache with the thought that he wouldn't have to tarnish his reputation by dating someone like her. She always imagined that if she hadn't been raped that they would be married right now and have children. But that was over, no possibilities whatsoever.

She was contemplating this sudden change and wondered what this meant to her now. Raoul had said that he would be back and that he would find out what had happened. She desperately hoped that he never found out. What would he think of her? He would be disgusted, she would be a freak to him. He would hate her. She didn't want her oldest and dearest friend to think of her that way. Why couldn't he just leave her alone?

When she was on her break she decided to sit at a table and watch all the customers while having a drink. Her break was an hour long so she had lots of time. She sat there with a strong brandy in her hand, she figured she needed it tonight.

Her boss, Jack came up to her and sat down. She feared the worst. The only time that she had ever met him was when she had applied for the job. He had given her the job almost immediately.

As he sat beside her she felt her breathing become faster and her mind immediately went through all the reasons why he would want to fire her. They sat there in a tense silence for a moment. Christine was almost quaking in her boots.

Jack sighed and looked at her with an intense stare. She shifted uncomfortably.

"Christine? There is someone who wants to see you." He said finally. She must have jumped about a foot in the air. She reached into her pocket to pay for the drink but Jack just shook his head and motioned for her to follow him.

Now she was worried. From day one they had been told that whatever they ate or drank they had to pay for, there were no exceptions to the rule. But now she was told to follow the manager and not to pay for the drink? She was in big trouble now, or so she thought.

He showed her up some stairs that lead to the upstairs offices. She had never been up there before, only the owners and the managers were allowed up there.

She was shaking very badly by the time she got up the last step. Jack had to carefully take her by the arm and support her back to get her to the last door in the hallway.

They reached the last door and Jack briefly let Christine go and knocked on the door. Christine didn't hear anything but he must have and he opened the door then held her again. She was afraid she was going to pass out at any moment, that's how hard she was shaking. Jack had to hold on fairly tightly so that she wouldn't fall. He had one hand on the arch of her back and the other across her chest.

They stepped inside the office together and were met with an angry roar. They both jumped at the sound and Christine looked around the office to see what had uttered it.

The office shades were pulled, the room was almost pitch black, the only light was coming from the open door.

She looked into one of the corners of the room and saw two pinpricks of light that almost looked like stars. The person who had expressed the roar was now growling a deep, menacing growl. It was scaring Christine and Jack looked quite pale.

"Get out!" The man screamed. Both Christine and Jack started to back out the door.

"No, not you _him_." The voice from the darkness commanded. Jack let go of Christine and backed out the door. He muttered one last piece of advice to her before taking off

" Whatever you do, don't argue with him and _do not_ stare at his face!" with that little sentence he turned and almost ran out of the room, closing the door behind him and enveloping Christine in complete blackness. Well, almost complete blackness. She could still see the pinpricks of light.

She stood in the tense silence for what felt like forever to her. What she didn't know was that the man on the other side of the room was staring at her and taking in her exquisite beauty. He was too caught up in looking at her to realize that there was a tense silence between them.

Christine cleared her throat in a way to garner his attention. The man's head snapped up and looked into Christine's eyes. Though she couldn't see she knew that she was being looked at. Then she started to babble.

"I am so sorry for whatever I did-I swear I didn't mean to do, well whatever I did. Please, I need this job. I have an apartment and I just had a friend move in with me. My...other job isn't enough to pay the apartment, I'm starving as it is! Please, don't fire me!" She almost started sobbing at this point but held her composure. Though her voice was dangerously shaky.

"What were you doing with him?" The voice asked. Christine was confused, what did he mean?

"I...I'm sorry sir, I don't know what you're talking about." She said meekly.

"The man I sent to escort you up here, are you in a relationship with him?" He demanded. His voice echoed through the room.

"Wha-I mean, no sir. I was unsteady on my feet and he was supporting me so I would not fall." Christine replied trying to remain polite.

"He didn't have to hold you in such a compromising position did he?" The man spat. The tenor of the voice was consumed with rage, yet Christine could detect a certain familiarity in it.

Christine was growing angry with the man, how dare he? Why should he care if he was in a relationship or not?

"I don't know sir, but can you please tell me your name and why I am up here?" She asked, struggling to keep her manners as she had been taught to.

"Forgive me Ms Daae. I had assumed you would remember me but I suppose not. Here, I will turn on a light for you." At that, the harsh glow of a lamp was flicked on in the corner of the room.

Christine shielded her eyes with hands until her eyes adjusted to the light. She looked at the man and gasped.

"Y-you." She stammered.

The man in the mask merely grinned and said

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Erik Destler."

**Yes, I know. I used the 1989 version's last name, as much as I hated the movie I really couldn't think of anything else. Please, please review**, **you have no idea how much they mean to me, I swear...**


	3. Chapter 3

**See, I can update without waiting a month! Well...mostly anyways.... Anyway, chapter 3! I'm surprised the feedback in this story. Most people seem to like it, that's good. I promise you, Christine will not be bi-polar in this one like she is in Love Shines Brightest in the dark (sorry, private joke...) Just a little mad. I hope you enjoy this chapter, I had fun writing it. It's a great way to get away from all the crap in school. (One of my best friends is in the process of breaking up with her boyfriend...it makes my life a living hell. I swear, I never want to see cookie dough ice cream again...). Anyway, please review!**

**I do not own Phantom, it belongs to Gaston Leroux and Erik's design is credited to Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber with Leroux hints.... **

Chapter 3

Erik looked at Christine for at least a spark of recognition. There was none. She just looked extremely irritated and slightly shocked.

"Y-you're the man that Meg accidently ran into yesterday." She said. Erik almost groaned. That was why she was so shocked to see him. She remembered him from that. Not before. But what had happened? Why didn't she remember him? Everyone remembered him!

"Yes, I am. I'm also the owner of this bar." He said, at loss for words. He had expected a big confrontation, maybe some accusations about spying on her from back then. But there was nothing, not even a flicker other then the spark from yesterday. This made him in an even amore foul mood then he had been in to start with. When Christine had walked in with that man Erik had nearly killed him right then. The way he was holding her was utterly indecent! Not to mention that she was Erik's. And nobody, nobody held Erik's possessions like that! Nobody.

He looked up again and realized that she was staring at him, more specifically into his eyes.

_Well, that one is new. _He thought to himself. People are always staring at his mask, never his eyes.

He blinked and it snapped her out of her trance.

"Once again, I am so sorry. But please, you can't fire me. I _need _this job! If I don't have it..." She seemed to shudder at the though. He thought back to when he saw her yesterday and realized something odd.

"What were you doing in that part of town?" He asked confused. "And why on earth were you wearing clothes like that?"

She refused to look at him.

"I'm afraid that it is none of your business what your employees do after hours Mr Destler. Whatever it was that I, or any other employee was doing does not concern you in the least." She said bravely. Erik grew frustrated again. Of course it was his business! Christine was his business!

But, technically she was right. What she, or any of the other staff did after hours should not have concerned him in the least.

"You are quite right Ange-Christine. I was just curious. It does not seem like the sort of place a woman like you would be." He said apologetically.

She looked up abruptly.

"And what kind of woman do you think I am Mr Destler? A virginal beauty? I'm afraid not. People like me belong in that kind of place. Now, either you tell me why you have brought me up here or I walk back downstairs and start my shift in..." She glanced at the clock on the wall. "Forty five minutes."

Erik's heart ached to see her like this. She obviously hated herself because of what she had become, and what had happened to her. But none of it was her fault-none of it!

It was no more her fault that she got raped then it was his fault he got a face like his.

"Come, Ms Daae I will escort you to dinner."He said suddenly. This was not part of his plan, but it seemed right somehow.

Well...it had until Christine looked at him like he was an utter idiot.

"Are you intoxicated Mr Destler? Because, honestly, you are acting like it. First, you get my manager to bring me up here, then you introduce yourself like I should know who you are, which, I don't. The only time I have met you before today was yesterday. Then, you dare pry into my personal life. Then, you have the gall to tell me that I am going to supper with you! I have news for you sir. I may be desperate, but I am not that desperate! I do not need my employers feeding me! I can take care of myself. Now, if you want to fire me, go ahead. I don't care. But if you no longer need me then I am going back downstairs."

With that she turned and walked out the door without giving Erik a chance to speak.

He stood there in his office, speechless after she left. He had never been spoken to like that before. And if it had been anyone other than Christine they would not have lived past the day.

But he still couldn't believe that Christine, _Christine_ had spoken like that. What had happened to the soft spoken girl of his youth?

Not that he still didn't love her. He just had more things to learn about her this time. Like why she was in the 'pleasure district' wearing skimpy clothes like that. That was asking for trouble. Why would she be there in the first place? What had she said...?

He didn't want to dwell on it any longer, but it was a pressing matter at the front of his mind. He would have to find out eventually, it said, whether he liked it or not.

Christine stomped down the steps, thoroughly furious at that man. How dare he! Acting like he owned her, telling her what to do! She would not stand for it! She had been told what to do all her life but she would not have a complete stranger tell her what to do. She would not stand for it!

Not to say that she didn't feel guilty about the way she yelled at him, she did. She didn't usually yell at people but for some reason she really wanted to yell at that man.

She reached the bottom of the stairs quicker than she had expected. She found Jack waiting at the bottom for her. She wondered why he was there, especially after the verbal abuse that Mr Destler gave him.

"Look, Christine I'm sorry for leaving you in there with him...I just, he sounded like he was honestly going to kill me." Jack said. Christine looked at the man sympathetically. It wasn't his fault that Mr Destler was bullying him.

"I'm fine Jack, we talked a bit, well more precisely he talked and I yelled at him..." She trailed off thinking about it. She looked up and saw that Jack was staring at her in amazement.

"You raised your voice to him and you're still _alive_?" He asked incredulously. He looked at her as if she were from Mars.

"Yes...and then he told me that he was going to take me to dinner after." She admitted. Jack took her by the shoulders and looked at her as if trying to see if she was lying. Obviously satisfied about what he was seeing there he finally spoke

"Christine, are you sure that you're not suffering from...delusions brought on by a stressful encounter? Because Mr Destler has never, never been friendly with someone as long as I have worked here. And that's been about five years. As far as I know, he's never really spoken to anyone either. I've only met him once before today. Rumour has it that the only reason he bought the place was to help his friend-a cop-put a drug bust to rest." He explained. Christine thought about it for a moment, then grinned.

"Jack, I think that we may have an alien on our hands then. Because I know that I was perfectly sane when I went up there and throughout the whole experience. Maybe we should get a blood test done." She teased. They both broke into gales of laughter, tension release from the minutes before.

All of a sudden Christine felt someone grab her from behind and pull her away from Jack. She had déjà vu as the man pulled her backwards.

_All of a sudden she was on her way back from school again, thoroughly contented with the way her voice lesson had gone that day. But she really needed to get home. It was her night to cook supper and she didn't want her father to be worrying about her as he constantly did. He had been very sick lately and she didn't need him to be constantly worrying about her instead of himself. She was walking home around 8:00 and it was dark. She wanted to get home right away so she took a well known was cutting through an alley when she felt someone grab her from behind. She screamed and heard the man whisper into her ear._

"_It's okay darlin' everything's gunna be okay with Gunther here." And with that he proceeded to rip her clothes off and...rape her._

She remembered this as she felt the strong arms drag her backwards, while growling at Jack.

_Wait a minute, why is he growling at Jack...?_

She turned around and saw the familiar half-masked face of a Mr Erik Destler.

She gasped in surprise and pushed at his chest.

"What the hell do you think that you are doing?" She asked, livid. She was more than angry now. This man had just scared the wits out of her- and brought back a past she didn't want to remember.

"Why are you with _him_?" He more or less growled. She tried to get out of his grip but the 6'7 man was too large and strong for her to simply push away.

"Listen, _pal_, I don't need you here, or in my life. You have been torturing me for the past half an hour and I will not take any of it! Do you know what you just did to me right there? When you grabbed me from behind? No? Well, let me give you a hint. Ten years ago I went through hell and back. Now, I cannot stand to be approached from behind without having a panic attack. Not one of those fake ones you see all the time, but a real one. I can't breathe, my heart starts to beat rapidly. It feels like my chest is about to explode and then sometimes I pass out. It's called post traumatic stress disorder. So, if you're the one that has to call the ambulance, go right ahead."

Immediately after this she felt guilty about yelling at him, he couldn't know. He had done nothing up there. It was all part of the games her mind was playing with her these days, feeling as if someone was watching her all the time.

"I-I'm sorry sir. I've been having a rough past few days. Please, forgive me. I promise that I won't bother you again." She whispered, looking down.

Erik looked at Christine with sympathy. She really was the same. But he wondered what she meant by 'having a rough past few days.' He didn't like the sound of that. If anyone had dare harmed his angel they would pay. More precisely they would die a long, painful, slow death.

"Perhaps, mademoiselle, as an apology you would be willing to go out for supper with me?" He asked hopefully. He really just wanted to talk to her, get know her now. Her likes and dislikes. All that stuff, just spend time with his angel.

Christine thought about that for a moment. Her father had always taught her to be polite...

"I would love to Mr Destler, but unfortunately I have to work this evening. I would go with you if I could but I have engagements for today and tomorrow..." She said thinking about what tomorrow would bring since she had to go work at her 'other' job. The bar didn't hire her full time. She worked every second day.

"You seem to forget something my dear. I own this place. And I am giving you the night off...with full pay if you choose to accompany me." He offered. She was wondering if she had died and gone to heaven. A night off _and _full pay if she accompanied her boss for supper? But then she remembered something.

"I really would like to sir, but it's only my co-worker Reagan and me on tonight I don't want to leave her all alone. That would be torture for her." She said regrettably. She knew she had to help Reagan, she had been the first friend that Christine had made when she arrived in Paris.

"I'm sure your friend will be fine Ms Daae, please, will you escort me to dinner?" He looked at her with such pitiful eyes that she couldn't help but agree.

"Alright sir, but where did you have in mind?" She asked.

"That my dear, is a surprise. Go tell Ms Stewart where you are going. I will go get the car. We will make one stop then we will go to the restaurant." Was his reply. He didn't wait for her answer and walked out the door.

Christine stood there for a moment, but then hurried out to the front of the bar. It didn't take her long to find her friend.

"Remy!" Christine shouted when she saw her friend cleaning glasses at the bar.

Reagan was of medium height, had brown hair that was always in a ponytail and steely blue eyes that were covered by glasses.

"Hey Chris, it's still your break. What are you doing here?" She asked, concerned about her friend. She was really pale and her blue eyes were wide.

"Sorry Rem, I can't do duty with you today. I have further engagements." Christine said with a grin.

"Christine Daae, what could be more important than work? Besides, Jack will skin you alive if you skip!" Her friend exclaimed.

"Not if I'm going out with the owner." Christine replied smugly. Her friend just stared at her.

"What?!" She managed to get out eventually.

"Anyway, I have to go. He's meeting me out front in a few minutes." She said as she started towards the door.

"Hey, wait! What's his name?" Reagan yelled as she saw her friend go towards the door. She wanted to learn at least a little about their mysterious employer.

"Erik Destler." Christine called back as she neared the door.

Reagan just stood there for a moment, in shock.

"You mean the composer?!" She shouted, earning a few looks from the drunks in the bar. But she didn't care. Her friend was going on a date with one of the most famous composers in all of Paris. She would have someone to answer to when she got back.

**Not so much of cliffie is it? I can't stop with them! I try, but seriously it's hard! Anyway, next chapter-the date! (Whether Christine knows it or not-it is a date...) I have it all planned out *drifts off into imagination* Why can't I have my own Erik?!**

**Please R&R!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Ha! Another update! Sorry for the wait though, I had my internet taken again, not my computer, just the internet. 6 hours of labour this time! You see, my dad has devised a system, say he tells me to go to bed at 9:00, and he catches me on the computer at 11:00 I have 6 hours of work till I get my computer back. That's right it tripled. Now, he's putting it up to times 7! I'm not going to do that again! Anyway-the date! Let's see what happens shall we? It's a long chapter-for me anyway-14 pages! Read on!**

**POTO (c) Gaston Leroux and Erik design ALW**

Chapter 4

Christine walked out the door with a certain anticipation running through her veins. She was going out with her boss!

_No_, she quickly corrected herself _I am not going out with him, he is taking me out for dinner to discuss...business matters! Yes, that's right. No man in his right mind would ever go out with me..._

When she stepped out the door she vaguely heard Reagan yell something about a composer. She ignored this, Reagan was as much in love with music as Christine herself. They would have conversations for hours about their favourite composers. Reagan practically lived and breathed music. She was going to university and had the bar as a job to get extra money. She had three siblings and did not want to be a burden to her parents. So she had a scholarship for university for music and worked at the bar. She was an alto and her father was the choir director in her home town.

She immediately noticed a black car with tinted windows that was waiting at the front. She figured it was Erik's car. As she walked over to it he stepped out and opened the door to the passenger's seat for her. She looked up, surprised. There weren't many gentlemen out there these days. He just stared down at her with intense eyes that made her shudder.

She stepped into the car and closed the door. Then he walked around to the other side of the car and sat down.

"Mr Destler? You said that we would be stopping somewhere first. May I ask where?" Christine asked, curious.

"Where we are going you could not possibly walk into in those clothes and be expected to be able to stay and eat." Erik said passively. He was no aware of how much he had hurt Christine with that little comment.

"I'm sorry if my bracket is not good enough for you Mr Destler. Unfortunately my pay as a bar maid isn't exactly fit to put me in with society's finest as you should know. And my other job hasn't paid anything so far." Christine replied bitterly. Erik looked at her, surprised and full of self reproach for hurting her like that.

"I'm sorry Christine, I didn't mean it quite like that. And what is this 'other job' that you do?" He wondered.

Christine sighed.

"I'm sorry Mr Destler-I can not volunteer that information and I highly suggest you don't try to find out for yourself. That would only lead you on a path to ruin that I do not think a man like you deserves." She said with a finality that allowed no arguments whatsoever.

Erik looked at her, frustrated. He wanted to help but how could he do that if she was not willing to give up anything that could let him help?

They weaved in and out of traffic in silence, Christine stared out the window and Erik tried to focus on driving but found it impossible with Christine sitting beside him. How he had wished for this moment for ten years! And now that he finally had it he was being an idiot and ignoring her!

"So Ms Daae. Do you mind telling me what your dream is? What do you wish to accomplish in life?" Erik asked trying to learn more about her.

"What I am trying to accomplish Mr Destler is to go through life and survive. If I'm lucky I might find someone who can love me, but other than that all I want to do is _survive_..." Christine trialed off. Then she shook herself into the moment. "What about you Mr Destler, what do you hope to accomplish? Do you have any dreams in life?" She asked.

_All I want is for you to love me as much as I love you Christine..._ He thought. Aloud he only said

"Oh, I don't want much Ms Daae. All I want is available to me." He replied.

"What about a lady? Do you have one?" Christine questioned

"I do." He answered simply.

_If only you knew my angel, if only you knew..._

"What about you Ms Daae, don't you ever dream of the 'perfect' man?

She snorted.

"Hardly. My idea of the perfect man is one how could love me for who I am and not judge me for my past." She admitted.

_I could be that man...._

They rode the rest of the ride in silence. Finally the pulled up to a fancy dress shop in the heart of Paris. Christine knew this one, heck everyone in town knew this one! It was the most expensive dress shop in France!

"Mr Destler-what are we doing here?" She asked, alarmed.

"We are getting you a dress my dear. As I said, you cannot go into the restaurant in an outfit like that." He replied calmly.

"But Mr Destler! I cannot afford a place like this! Please!" Christine, said panicked. He chuckled at her alarm.

'Don't worry Ms Daae. It will be my treat." He offered.

"I cannot let you do that Mr Destler, that is way too much." She protested. He gave her a look that allowed no arguments.

"You are coming in with me and that's final." He said then got out of the car.

She reluctantly followed him into the shop.

It was quite obvious that Erik did not need to change. He was already wearing a tuxedo with a red silk shirt on underneath. Christine could not help but wonder if he wore that everyday.

The jingle of the bells alerted the owner of the shop.

"I'm sorry but we're closing soon." She shouted as walked through the door of the back into the front of the shop.

"I think you can make an exception for me, Anne." Erik replied. She looked at him in surprise.

"Erik! What are you doing here?" The surprised owner asked him.

"I have come to pick up one of the dresses you have made for me." Erik replied.

Christine looked at him, astonished.

_Of course he's ordered a dress before. He did say that he had a lady! _Christine berated herself. She had no idea why she felt so disappointed.

"Ah, I see. Come this way my dear." She said motioning to Christine with her hand. She followed her into the back.

"It's a good thing that Erik brought you here before you went anywhere with him. Do you honestly expect to be seen with him in _that_?" Anne asked Christine with a wave at her outfit.

"I don't know. I don't really have anything better you know." Christine replied mildly insulted. Anne gaped at her.

"My poor dear! Come, I have been making Erik dresses for years. I have the perfect one for you." She said. And Christine felt that twinge of disappointment again. Obviously Erik treated his lady very well.

Anne shoved Christine into a changing room and handed her a red dress. Christine was surprised to find it fit her perfectly. It was a blood red and swayed down at her ankles. The neckline was very low and Christine would have honestly made it higher if it was her.

_I guess that Mr Destler likes his lady to show off a ton of cleavage. _She thought with regret. But other than that the dress was perfect. It hugged her curves and body perfectly and it almost looked like she belonged in high society.

_I wonder how an owner of a struggling bar owner can afford all this. _Christine briefly asked herself but then shrugged the thought off.

"Come on dear, come out so I can see you." Anne said impatiently. As Christine came out she gasped in delight. Christine mistook this as a gasp of horror and immediately turned back to go get changed.

"No, no. It looks perfect on you darling! If I didn't know better I'd say Erik made it especially for you!" She exclaimed. She had never seen the lady Erik had ordered all the dresses for but she knew that he was an extremely secretive man and had accepted this a long time ago.

Christine blushed as red as the dress.

"Thank you." She muttered. She went to retrieve her other clothes, but Anne put out a hand to stop her.

"Don't bother with _those _I will be burning them." She said with a flourish. Christine gaped at her.

"Y-you can't burn my clothes!" She stammered. Anne gave her an evil glare.

"I will not be burning clothes mademoiselle. I will be burning trash." With that she ushered Christine out to the front to see what Erik thought about the dress that she had chosen.

Erik had been waiting patiently out in the front of the store for Christine to come out. He hoped that Anne's personality had not overwhelmed Christine.

He knew that it hadn't when he heard them both laughing as they came out.

He was about to rush up and grab his angel away from her when he caught sight of them.

Needless to say his jaw dropped. To him she seemed to radiate beauty.

They both stopped when they saw him. Erik was then aware about how silly he must have looked. He straightened up and walked over to them. He took Christine's hand and kissed it softly, savouring the contact with it.

"You look ravishing mademoiselle." He whispered. She blushed again and he wondered if she knew how ravishing she really did look.

Anne looked at them with obvious satisfaction.

"Come Mademoiselle Daae. I believe I said I would escort you to dinner." He said and offered his arm to her. She took it shyly and he escorted her out of the shop.

When they walked out Erik wondered what he had done to deserve such beauty. Surely all of his sins did not add up to this? Maybe God was trying to atone for Erik's ravaged face.

Somehow he doubted it.

Once he saw her into her seat he got into the driver's side of the car and started it.

"So Mr Destler, may I ask where we are going?" Christine questioned.

"Absolutely not! Did I not tell you it was a surprise? You will have to wait and see!" Erik exclaimed in mock horror. He wondered if she would approve of his choice of restaurants. It was one of his favourites and he went there often. All of the staff had learned to ignore his mask and treat him like a regular customer.

Christine grumbled in disappointment. Then got up the nerve to ask him something that she had been wondering.

"So, Mr Destler. What is this 'mystery woman's ' name?" Christine asked curious. He seemed to stiffen.

"I'm afraid that I will not tell you that until you tell me what your other job is." He replied warily. Christine seemed surprised for this change of mood.

"Can you at least tell me the first letter of her name?" She asked again.

He relented.

"Her first name starts with a C" He answered, keeping his eyes on the road, pretending to concentrate on the traffic.

Christine was mildly shocked. The woman's first name started with the same letter as hers! That was quite a coincidence.

"I see." She murmured. He nodded, satisfied that she did not realize that it was her.

The rest of the drive was spent in silence, both of them mulling over their destiny.

_I wish that I could be Mr Destler's lady. I hope that whoever she is treats him as he deserves. Taking a poor person out for dinner and letting me borrow a dress like his. If I were her I would hold onto him. He's so nice too. I wonder if Jack was lying about him before. _Christine thought.

While Erik was thinking

_I wonder if my Angel will eventually accept me for me. Then, perhaps I will be able to tell her my affections. Wouldn't that be hilarious! A disfigured demon telling an injured angel that he loves her! That's quite funny I find. I doubt that I will ever be able to tell her. I will have to make do with just being able to see her every day._

Finally, the pulled up to their destination and parked. Christine looked at him, confused.

"What are we doing at the Eiffel tower Mr Destler?" She asked.

"I am taking you out for dinner Ms Daae, unless you have some objections." Erik replied calmly but on the inside he was panicking.

A look of pure amazement made its way onto Christine's face.

"You're taking me to the _Jules Vern_?" She gasped. Erik permitted himself a laugh as he looked at the expression on her face.

"Yes I am mademoiselle. I take it you agree with my choice of restaurants." He chuckled. She could only nod her head.

The she regained her common sense.

"Mr Destler, I cannot go in there. The meals are a hundred Euros each! That is much too expensive for someone like me!" She tried to protest. But he held up his hand to stop her.

"We've been through this Ms Daae. This is my treat, I will pay for the meal, and no, it is not too much." He said and ended her reluctance.

He offered his arm to her once again and she took it. He escorted her to the elevator and pressed the button.

When they reached their floor Erik lead Christine to the restaurant. She gaped at the beauty of it. It was obviously designed to be modern, yet it had a certain elegance to it. It certainly belonged to the people of high society. Erik approached the poor waiter

"M-Mr Destler!" The poor young man exclaimed as he jumped about a foot in the air.

"I-I'm sorry sir! We didn't know you were coming!" He apologized as Erik stared at him, wondering if he was indeed, that frightening.

"It's okay Pierre. Will you please escort us to my usual table and send Jean-Claude out?" He requested smoothly.

"O-of course sir! Follow me." Pierre said as he turned around. Christine and Erik followed close behind as he led them to a table in the back shadows of the restaurant.

After they had been seated the man gave Christine a strange look then said

"I'll send Jean-Claude out immediately sir."

"You do that." Erik said. The young man looked even more frightened than he originally was and hurried away.

Christine was mulling over the look that she had been given moments before.

_I guess that he didn't expect me to be here. Probably expect the mysterious mistress._ She thought with a hint of regret, then turned to Erik.

"Do you enjoy scaring people?" She asked. He let out a low chuckle, sending shivers down her spine. But it wasn't all that unpleasant.

"Only those who are scared of me without reason." He said, once again looking at her with intense eyes that seemed to illuminate from themselves.

"So, tell me Mr Destler, how can you afford all this? You're an owner of a struggling bar. I don't think it pays that well." She asked, trying to divert his attention from her. It was making her uneasy.

"I don't just own the bar Ms Daae. That's one of my...side projects." He neglected to mention that it really didn't matter to him until he learned that she worked there. "I also own an architectural firm and I compose as a hobby. I have sold some of my operas to the Paris Opera house. If I remember correctly this season one of my newest compositions is being played."

Christine stared at him in utter disbelief.

"You're a composer?" She finally asked in awe.

"Yes?" He replied uncertainly. Was she impressed?

"I used to want to be a opera star you know. I was a high soprano. My dream was to work in the Paris opera house." She whispered, looking down at her hands. Erik looked at her, surprised. He had never known this.

"What happened?" He asked, intrigued. She felt hot tears come into her eyes but answered him.

"There was an... an accident. My father died two months later and I lost my will to sing. My mother had already been dead. She died when I was born." She admitted. Erik immediately cursed himself for making her recall those excruciating memories.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up anything painful." He apologized. She looked at him.

"It's alright Mr Destler you didn't know." She said, putting on a false smile that would have fooled anyone other than Erik.

Luckily their Maitre D arrived at that time.

"Good to see you again Mr Destler. I trust that you are having a good day?" Jean-Claude asked as he suddenly appeared at their table. Erik nodded his head in an affirmative.

"Very good Jean-Claude. May I have the honour of introducing you to my escort? This is mademoiselle Christine Daae." He said. Jean-Claude took her hand and raised it to his lips, same as Erik.

"Enchanted to meet you mademoiselle. May I add that you look stunning?" He asked, looking her in the eyes. She blushed once again and wondered if she was going to be painted red by the end of the evening.

"Thank you monsieur." She replied.

"I will be your server for the evening. My name is Jean-Claude." He said. Erik glared at him for being so friendly. Jean-Claude ignored this attempt to leave them alone. He was used to it already. He had been Erik's preferred host for almost seven years and he was all too used to his strange patron's behaviour.

"Shall I get you something to drink?" He asked them both.

"We will have your house red." Erik answered, Christine nodded in agreement. Jean Claude left their menus and walked back to the kitchen to get their wine.

"Meg is going to be in your opera!" Christine suddenly exclaimed. Erik looked at her strangely. She felt the blood rush to her face, again.

"I-I mean that she might get a part in your opera. She tried out as a dancer today and she'll probably get the job." She said. Erik raised an eyebrow.

"Is that so? Is she any good? I only accept the best." He stated.

"I'm not sure-I didn't get to see her. She dances in a couple days. But the way she went on about her teachers and her mom and stuff I bet she'll get it." Christine explained. Erik looked thoughtful.

"Meg...does she have a last name?" He asked, thinking hard.

"Of course, it's Giry." She said. Erik's head shot up.

"Meg Giry? Please, tell me your lying!" He pleaded. Christine looked puzzled.

"No...why?" She asked. Erik put his head in his hands.

"I know her mother." He groaned. Now it was time for Christine to look at Erik as though he was insane.

"Her...mother?" She whispered. "The one who disowned her?"

"The one and only. Antoinette Giry, she comes by once in a while. My mother knew her when I was a child." He replied, through his hands. He had thought he had recognized the blonde from yesterday. But he hadn't seen little Meg for a long time. He had heard about what happened between her and Antoinette, Antoinette regretted it every day of her life. But Erik had honestly never expected to see the little Giry again. Even when he had been able to see her he never had.

Then, Christine began to laugh at the absurdity of it all. At first Erik stared at her, then he began to chuckle too. Finally when they were done they were wiping tears out of their eyes.

"You know," Christine giggled. "I haven't laughed like that in more than a decade?"

"I have never laughed like that my dear. I have had no reason to." Erik said, wiping tears out of his eyes, marvelling about how she could make him laugh when no one else could. No matter how hard they tried.

Christine was about to reply when Jean-Claude reappeared with their wine.

He set it down and uncorked it, then poured them both a glass.

"What will your order be today Mr Destler?" He asked looking at them both. Christine froze, realizing that she hadn't even looked at the menu.

"We will both be having your special, escargot as an hors d'oeuvre and we will be sharing my favourite meal as the main course." Erik replied with a meaningful look at Jean-Claude.

The Maitre D almost burst out laughing. He had never seen his patron like this before. It most likely had to do with the company that he was in.

Mr Destler had brought plenty of people there for business deals but he had never brought a lady friend to their restaurant before.

Not that it looked like they were together, but Jean-Claude had been in the business for about twenty years and knew when a lover when he saw one. Now he was wondering how to break it to Mademoiselle Daae. She obviously didn't know that Mr Destler was in love with her. It was certainly not apparent to the untrained eye!

Erik looked at Christine who was sting across from him fidget with her napkin.

"So, what do you think Ms Daae? How are we going to fix this problem between mother and daughter? From what I have seen Antoinette is full of lamentations about what she had done to her daughter, and I would expect that Meg is full of regret." Erik asked. Christine allowed a grin to spread across her face.

"I like the way you think Mr Destler. I was wondering the same thing myself and I think that I have found a solution." She replied. Erik chuckled, he had no idea that his little angel could be so devious.

"Well, Ms Daae, if we are going to be cohorts then I believe you have the right to call me by my first name, if you please. And what exactly were you thinking?" He asked.

"Well, then if I'm allowed to call you Erik then you must call me Christine . And here's what I was thinking..." Christine explained her plan over the table. Erik helped fill in some details of her plan and by the end they were ready for action.

Finally, Jean-Claude came with their food. He set everything down on the table and Christine almost gasped in amazement. She had never seen so much food in her life!

Erik's favourite turned out to be the swordfish with a potato puree. Christine sampled this hesitantly but found that it was delicious. Erik found it enjoyable just to watch her. It had been quite obvious she hadn't had a proper meal in days and he wished that he could supply her with a meal all the time. He found the conditions that she was living in appalling.

"So, Erik, I hope you treat your lady friend like this." Christine said at the end of the night, just before Erik asked Jean-Claude for the bill. She felt disappointed that an evening as magical as that had to end but reminded herself hat her boss already had a mistress. She could not help but feel the full stab of jealousy now. All evening Erik had treated her like a person, keeping her preoccupied, never letting awkward silences appear in the conversation.

She realized that she was falling for her boss.

Hard.

And she couldn't have him.

Erik, on the other hand had no idea of her feelings and allowed himself a slight grin at the irony of it all. He loved the...intimacy which using each other's first names had allowed him.

"I try, Christine, I try. Now, I shall get the check and we will leave." He said. He motioned to Jean-Claude for the check and he brought it over. He looked at it casually and gave the waiter some money.

"Keep the rest as a tip." He advised. Jean-Claude almost smiled, oh yes, his customer was most certainly in love. He had never tipped quite like _that _before.

After supper Erik drove Christine back to the bar. He realized that he couldn't drive her home even though her knew where she lived (he had followed her the previous night.) and he wanted to spend some more time with her.

Finally, he pulled up in the employee parking of the bar. Reagan, of course was still hard at work, trying to satisfy the drunk crowd that usually looked forward to seeing Christine. There were loud protests that were coming from the bar, Christine took pity on her co-worker and decided to go help her after she said her goodnight to Erik.

They both met each other at the door at the same time. Christine suddenly felt awkward.

"Thank you Erik, I had a lovely time this evening. I would give you the dress back now but Anne said that she would burn my other clothes!" Christine explained despairingly.

Erik allowed himself a snigger.

"That sounds like Anne, I apologize on her behalf. And don't worry about the dress, take it as a gift." He suggested. Christine looked at him with something close to awe.

"Are you sure Erik? Won't your lady friend miss this one?" She asked. He once again thought of the irony of it all. The dress was really for Christine and she was asking if she would miss her own dress.

"I'm sure that she would want you to have it." He replied.

"She is very generous." Christine assessed.

Erik stared at his angel.

"She is, very." He whispered. Suddenly he felt like his body was on fire, like he needed to touch Christine.

She looked down.

"I'm glad that you found somebody who deserves you." She said quietly.

"No, I'm glad that she found someone she might come to trust and love." She murmured, he was so close that his breath caressed her face. He reached up and traced her bottom lip with his thumb.

That seemed to break the spell. Christine took a step back and curtsied to him.

"Once again, thank you Erik. I'll see you tomorrow?" She said just before she ran back inside to help her friend.

She was met with a chorus of wolf whistles.

Erik cursed himself for letting her slip out like that. He wanted to apologize but it looked like he would have to wait until tomorrow.

But that didn't mean her couldn't watch Christine from inside, just to make sure that nothing happened to her of course...

Yeah right.

He really was a love sick fool.

When Christine walked into the bar she was berating herself.

_How stupid am I? He already has a girlfriend! How come I have a crush on a man that's already taken?_ She asked herself. She knew the answer of course, it was because he treated her like a real person, not an object. He had listened and sympathized with her. No one had done that before.

She finished off service with Reagan and then, all three of them, Jack, Reagan and her sat down. They didn't notice Erik lurking in the shadows, listening and watching.

"Alright my dear, spill all the details!" Reagan demanded. "Does he treat you right? Did he hurt you? Make you feel uncomfortable? Men are jerks you know." She said.

"Hey! I think I feel offended by that!" Jack exclaimed. She punched him lightly on the shoulder.

"You should." She replied. Jack just glared at her.

"Guys! Sheesh, you would think that you were a bunch of kids by the way you act! To answer your questions, no, he did not make me uncomfortable in anyway. He treated me so well it was almost insane." Christine said, slightly amused by their arguing.

"Well, where did he take you?" Jack asked.

Christine looked down, embarrassed.

"The Jules Vern." She muttered. Both Jack and Reagan let out an exclamation of surprise.

"The Jules Vern! I didn't think that bar owners could afford something like that!" Jack almost shouted.

Both Reagan and Christine gave him a dirty look.

"He's a composer too!" They said in unison. Jack looked shocked.

"A composer? Really? I had no idea!" He said. "Is he any good?"

Reagan looked at him, exasperated.

"Any good? Of course he's good! He's amazing in fact! He's the genius Erik Destler! One of my favourite composers, he specialises in classical music, composes for the Paris opera house. His favourite instruments to play are the violin and the piano, he excels at both but can play almost every string instrument and quite a few brass and percussion. He also likes playing requiems on the organ" She stated these as if she were reading them from a textbook. Christine gave her a sideways glance.

"What? We had to read about him in music theory! They made us listen to his CDs and then read his biography. He was brilliant!" She defended herself.

"Anyway, he took me to the Jules Vern and we talked a lot. Turns out we have two mutual acquaintances. Then, he paid for the bill and he drove me back here. And well..." She said reluctant to say anymore.

"What happened?" Reagan practically shouted.

Christine turned a bright red.

"I think we almost kissed!" She said, hardly able to believe it herself.

"What?"Jack and Reagan uttered when they heard this.

"I refuse to believe it!" Jack declared. "Mr Destler has never even talked to any of us on a friendly basis, why would he want to kiss _you_?"

Reagan gave him another dirty look.

"Because he likes her of course! Are you an idiot? Come on Chris, more details then that! Most of us don't have famous, rich composers pining after us!" She urged.

"Well, when we were in the parking lot he leaned over and I felt his breath on my face. We...talked. It seemed more like flirting to me but I guess that one could call it talking. He traced my lip with his thumb and then I realized what I was doing and ran..." Christine said thinking about how stupid she must have looked.

"You ran?!" Reagan yelled. "Why?"

"Come on Remy! Think about it! Why would he want someone like me?" Christine shouted back.

"You are underestimating yourself Christine! You're beautiful, smart, talented and damned resourceful! Why wouldn't he want you?" Reagan snapped.

"I don't know!" Christine replied, frustrated.

"You like him don't you Chris?" Reagan asked, suddenly intuitive.

Christine sighed sadly..

"Yeah, I am. But I'll never be able to act on them. They're fruitless you know, I'll have to learn to ignore my feelings. If not I may find myself in love..."

Suddenly Christine seemed to brighten

"Come on Rem. You said that you would give me a lift home. I need to go check on my new roommate, you know. Make sure that she hasn't trashed the place." She said.

"A new roommate?! Christine Daae! What else are you keeping from me?" Her friend said.

"Come on, I'll tell you in the car."

With that, the two women left, talking about Anne's dress shop. Jack looked around and shivered.

"I never noticed how creepy it is to be in here alone." He muttered. "Well, I better lock up.."

He didn't see the man with the white mask in the shadows, staring in amazement at where they had been sitting moments before.

"Christine..." He whispered.

**Aw! Erik's so cute and thoughtful isn't he! I wonder what will happen next-well, I don't but you should! Please, please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey! I'm back! With a new chapter! And guess what! It's my birthday on Friday! Yes, I'll be turning 14! I can't wait! Anyway, I've got mixed feelings about this chapter. I'm not sure how I feel about it...yet. I hope you like it though! Erik's not going to be very forgiving in this chapter by the way...ah but you shall find that out...soon enough anyway. Without further ado-chapter 5. Please review-as a birthday present to me? Please?**

**POTO (c) Gaston Leroux and Erik design ALW**

Chapter 5

After Reagan dropped Christine off she opened the door to her flat and went inside. Luckily it was quite late and there was no one around. She had been worried about walking into her apartment in a dress like that. People might mistake her for someone rich and kick her out.

She made it up to her door without an incident. Then she braced herself and put the key in the lock and opened the door. She had no idea what to expect

What she did not expect was a fuzzy little ball of fur to jump into her arms. She screamed and Meg ran into the room.

"Christine! What's the-WHAT ARE YOU WEARING?" She yelled. She jumped again. Today was full of surprises.

"Meg what is this thing?" She asked, trying to keep calm. Among inspection she realized that it was a cat.

"I found her in a box on the street. I couldn't just leave her there so I brought her home for you-as a thank you. I think that she's a Siamese cat. Not sure though." Meg replied. Christine tried to remember if she had ever seen a real Siamese cat, but all she could think of were the ones from the Disney movie Lady and the Tramp that she had watched when she was a kid. That had been her favourite movie.

"Meg! This flat doesn't allow animals! What would we do if the landlord came in and saw her?" Christine demanded. Meg shrugged.

"I don't think a ball of fluff like that could hurt anybody. She's just a kitten you know. And look! She's so cute!" She cooed.

Christine sighed and looked at the cat. She had to admit it was cute and she had always had a soft spot for kittens....

"Fine, she can stay. But remind me that it was you who picked her up when she needs to be litter box trained!" She relented. Meg gave a laughed and twirled around.

"If that's the way you feel about it then you can name her!" He giggled. Christine gave a small smile of her own.

"Fine...hmm, how about Ayesha? It sounds like a proper name for a cat. It sounds almost royal." She suggest. Meg shrugged again.

"Whatever you want, she's yours now. Anyway, _now _you have to tell me what the hell happened tonight and why you are wearing a dress like that!"

Christine sighed and motioned for Meg to sit down in front of her. She held Ayesha on her lap and tussled with the kitten while explaining to Meg what had happened that night-minus the details about her and her mother. She didn't need to know that quite yet.

"Christine...does Erik have a last name?" Meg asked suspiciously. He sounded an awful lot like her mom's friend Erik-except Christine hadn't mentioned a mask.

"Um...yes?" Christine squeaked.

"What is it?"

"I don't remember." Christine lied.

Luckily Meg let the subject drop after that and went on gushing about the dress and how pretty it was.

Finally Christine realized that she was actually quite exhausted.

"I'm sorry Meg-I'm going to change into some PJs and then go to bed. I'm really tired..." She yawned. "See?" Meg nodded and yawned too.

"Alright-I'll see you in the morning then."

"Night."

"Night."

With that Meg sacked out on the couch and Christine dragged herself to her room.

She couldn't fall asleep for the longest time. She sat there, listening to her ipod for the better part of two hours. Her ipod and computer were the two luxuries she indulged herself in. She had to admit-she was becoming addicted to both. She finally fell asleep around 3:30 in the morning, dreaming about masked men and burning clothes.

Xxx

Erik was sitting in his room, trying to sleep but unable to. It was now four o'clock in the morning and he had been lying in bed for the better part of the night.

Now he was sitting in his chair with a glass of brandy that he had been working on for the last hour. Erik was not a drinker and only did so when he needed to.

_If not I may find myself in love..._

He half expected to wake up from this dream now. He just wondered why she thought that her feelings were fruitless.

He moaned from frustration. He wanted to see her-NOW! But he couldn't!

Erik was most certainly not used to not getting what he wanted. Usually, all he had to do was make a few phone calls and he had whatever he needed. The constant hole in his heart was testimate that he couldn't get everything though he wished he could.

He got up and started to pace the room. He was acutely aware that the maid and the butler were gossiping about his strange behaviour downstairs.

"_He's never left the mansion before. I bet that he got a shady job. I always did wonder where he got all that money from. It couldn't be from composing! And what's with his mask?" _They whispered.

He felt himself tremble with rage and made a mental note to dismiss them tomorrow. He didn't feel like doing that right now. It would most likely wake up the entire household and he had learned early on that having a houseful of grumpy helpers was not pleasant.

At first it had been strange to Erik to have....servants. He had always lived in the slums of the city. And when he made so much money he had no idea what to do with all of it. Then Nadir helped him think of some ideas.

_Nadir, right I'd better call him..._Erik thought, forgetting that it was four in the morning.

He grabbed the phone of the side table and punched in Nadir's number.

Luckily for him Nadir was pulling an all-nighter to help finish a case that was under his jurisdiction and had to be cared for. When Erik had moved to France he had naturally went with him. Given their history and all.

So when he was bent over his paperwork at four in the morning on a Wednesday he knew who was calling.

"What do you want Erik?" He asked annoyed. Paperwork had never been one of his favourite things.

"Nadir-it's her! I've found her!" Erik said into the phone. Nadir had never heard him like this before.

"Wha-who have you found Erik? Why does this warrant a call at four in the morning?" He asked, confused.

"Christine you dimwit! Christine!" Erik replied, obviously irritated.

_Christine? Why does that name sound so familiar...WHAT?_

"You found _her _Erik? The one that you have been looking for? You've been looking for her for ten years and you've finally found her?" He shouted in disbelief.

"Yes Nadir, that is what I was trying to tell you. I found her two nights ago." Erik said with forced patience.

"You'd better tell me what has happened." Nadir sighed, making himself comfortable.

So Erik spent the next hour and a half telling Nadir about what had happened in the last few days. By the end Nadir was completely astonished.

"You took her out to dinner?" He asked incredulously.

"Yes Nadir, I took her out to dinner. Is that a crime? To take the love of my life out to dinner?" Erik asked sarcastically.

"That's not what I meant Erik! I meant, what happens if she gets hurt? Do you really think that she could survive it if something happened again? You claim that she can't remember you. There's probably a reason for that! What happens if she gets her memory back? What do you think would happen?" He shouted through the phone.

Erik ground his teeth. Now he remembered why he had not called Nadir sooner. Nadir had always disapproved of this 'obsession' as he called it.

"I will never let my angel get hurt Nadir. Now, if you'll excuse me I have to go."

"Where are you going?" Nadir asked, his eyes narrowed.

"I am going to make sure my angel does not get harmed." Erik replied viciously.

"Erik, ERIK! What are you doing?" Nadir yelled into the phone. But all he could here was the dial tone. He cursed and threw the phone across the room. He knew that they were all irrevocably tied to whatever path Erik and Christine were on.

He only hoped that they would all come out in one piece.

Xxx

Christine woke up at six the next morning, screaming from a nightmare she had just had. She couldn't remember it and didn't want to. Nightmares were a common occurrence for her now.

She got up and washed the sweat off of her face. She knew that she would never get any sleep now .

She threw on a pair of jeans and a coat and walked out the door-careful not to wake Meg.

As soon as she stepped outside she got the feeling that someone was watching her again-but not in a creepy way. Like a guardian angel. Making sure she was safe from harm.

She realized that she had no idea where she was going and reached into her purse to see how much money she had. She felt her hand close around a roll of bills and her eyes widened. She remembered that Raoul had tipped her last night.

_Raoul...._

She shook her head and refused to think about him. She couldn't if she wanted to keep her sanity.

She decided that she needed some food and stuff for Ayesha. So she decided to go shopping.

When she was walking she scanned the shadows. Then, she saw she saw a glint of white in one of them. She kept walking and saw it again. Except this time she saw a distinct shape and she knew it.

"Erik?" She called incredulously.

Erik snapped out of his revere when he heard his angel call his name.

_How did she realize that I was here? _He asked himself, panicked. He then realized that she probably saw the mask.

"Hello Christine. What are you doing out so early?" He asked as he stepped out of the shadows.

"I should ask that of you Erik. I believe you told me last night that you were not much of a morning person." She replied, smiling.

"Yes, I had a friend wake me up this morning." He replied. She looked down at her shoes.

_Of course-he does have a lady. I'm such an idiot-I bet that he didn't even mind that she woke him up. _She thought bitterly.

"Right-I'm sorry. But what are you doing here? You could get robbed!" She suddenly realized.

Erik couldn't hold back a chuckle. He thought about the young man who had tried to rob him while he had been waiting for Christine. He would be alright....in a few days.

"I am a grown man Christine, you needn't worry about me." He reassured her. He found it touching that his angel had worried about him. He didn't quite believe all that she had said last night, though he wanted more than anything for it to be true.

Christine felt the heat rise to her cheeks.

"Of course, I apologize." She whispered. He took one of her curls that had fallen onto her cheek and pushed it back. She felt the place where he had touched her burn, and longed for his touch even more, though she knew it was wrong.

"No need to apologize my dear, you were just concerned." He replied. She felt entranced by his voice-the angel's voice.

Erik was glad that he had avoided telling her why he was there-that would not go over well if she found out that he was following her.

"So where are you going to this early?" He asked her, curious. He hadn't expected her up this early.

"Well, I decided to go shopping-I couldn't get back to sleep this morning and Meg brought home a cat last night. A Siamese, I need to shop for some food for it." She explained.

Erik's eyes widened.

"Meg Giry brought home a cat? Meg? The girl who-according to her mother-couldn't keep a fish alive for more than a day and a half?" He asked incredulously. Christine giggled and nodded her head.

"Yes, that's probably why it's in my care now." She said. Suddenly Erik wished he could switch places with the lucky cat.

"Can I escort you to the store mademoiselle?" Erik asked. Christine blushed again and briefly wondered how a man could make her do that so often.

"If you would like, I wouldn't want you to do it over any obligation you think you might have." She answered, hoping desperately that he would.

His lip twitched into a smile. If only she knew how much he would like to!

"Of course I would Christine, it would be an honour." He said as he gestured for her to lead the way, he was going to offer her his arm but decided that he shouldn't-not today.

She led him to a market that was fairly cheap and looked like it had what they needed. She could have sworn that she felt everyone staring at Erik-not for his mask, those were a common sight, people trying to hide their identities as thieves- but at his clothes because they were so expensive. Anyone could tell by looking at him that he was a rich man. But they let him past because they recognized Christine. She had made a name for herself among the community, and no one dared bother her in fear of angering some of the more powerful influences in some gangs. She had opened her door to anyone if they were hurt, or hungry or anything like that. They always left reassuring her that she would never be harmed-as any companion she had. They would protect her with their lives.

They finally made it to the market-unharmed- and Christine found some food she and Meg would eat and all the stuff she needed for Ayesha.

When they got to the cashier Christine reached into her purse to pay for the items. She stopped when she felt Erik's hand on hers. She felt an electric thrill go up her arm.

"I can't let you pay for all that Christine." He insisted. She glared at him.

"Of course you can, I can't let you pay for my life Erik!" She replied. They argued for a full ten minutes before Erik finally agreed to let her pay. The cashier just watched them the whole time, amused.

"Votre mari est très amiable." She said when Christine finally paid. She blushed again and corrected the old woman-who looked as if she were in her sixties.

"Ah! Il n'est pas mon mari!" She replied, shocked that the woman had suggested it.

"Oh-je suis très désolée! Vous deux regardez très beau ensemble.!» The woman replied.

« Merci. » Christine muttered before taking her purchases and leaving the store.

She almost ran out, Erik quickly caught up with her.

"What did she ask?" He wondered what could have made Christine blush that red.

"It's not important." She muttered. He walked her out and they stopped on the street.

Christine took his hand with a strange glint in her eyes.

"Come with me!" She cried suddenly pulling him behind her.

They winded through the alleys until they reached a park. Christine took them to the top of the hill.

They both sat down to catch their breath. Erik looked from the hill and realized that he could see all of Paris from this spot.

"I love it here, it's my secret place. Whenever I need to think I come here."She confided in him, looking out over the city.

"It's beautiful."He agreed, though he was not looking over the city but at her. Luckily she didn't notice.

They sat there for hours, exchanging seemingly random conversations. Eventually Christine looked at Erik's watched and gasped.

"Is it that late?" I am so sorry Erik! I have to go get ready!" She cried. Erik looked at her, puzzled

"Ready? For what?" He asked. She adverted her eyes.

"I have my...other job today." She explained. Erik sighed.

"Of course. I should have been thinking. Will you let me accompany you to this place?" He asked hope fully. Christine's eyes widened.

"NO!"She shouted then lowered her voice "I-I mean, no, I'm sorry. I'd better go." With that she ran off towards home. What she failed to see was the shadow that followed her from the hill.

Xxx

Erik followed Christine home from the hill. He was going to discover once and for all what this 'other job' was. He would not take no for an answer. He did not have to wait long for her to get changed and drop the items that they bought off.

When she came out she was in a very skimpy outfit. He frowned, he wondered what kind of job would make her wear something like that.

When he followed her she went to the 'pleasure district' again. At first he did not get it. Then, all of a sudden he did. Especially when she sat down and started to call to the men.

You could probably hear his roar for blocks. Christine jumped but did not seem to realize that it had come from him. The people beside him jumped and ran away in fear.

He wanted desperately to run, grab her and tell her that she would never have to work again, never disgrace herself again. He wanted how long she had been...selling herself. He hoped not long.

After much internal debate he finally came to the decision that he would not interfere...until she actually got a costumer.

He laid in wait like a spider after it's prey...

Xxx

Christine was nervous. She knew that there was a good chance that she would get a customer today. You didn't go two nights in a row without getting a customer-not in this business.

She didn't have to wait long. About an hour after she arrived a man approached her. She could smell the liquor on his breath.

"How much?" The man slurred. Christine took a deep breath and replied

"50 Euros monsieur."

"Perfect, let's go." He grabbed her hand and dragged her away. When he dragged her past the first in she was nervous. Why wasn't he stopping? After they past the third one she started to struggle.

"Where are we going?" She asked. He grinned at her, the whisky stench clogging her nose.

"My home 'darlin." He replied. Christine grew frightened. She had heard about men like that. They took the call girls to their home and they were never seen alive again.

She tried to break loose of the man's grip.

"Let me go!" She screamed. The man pushed her roughly against an ally wall.

"Listen to me, you are a nobody! You are here to give me a good fuck! And I will get it! Whether it's in a bed or right here!" He growled trying to rip off her skimpy dress.

"Help me!" Christine screamed. She didn't want this to happen, not again. She tried to struggle and twist herself free while the man ripped his pants off.

Finally, he got them off. Christine closed her eyes and waited for the pain. What she didn't notice was the dark figure come up behind them and wrap a piece of rope around the man's neck. The next thing she knew she was in strong arms, getting carried away. After that there was blackness, she had fainted.

**Hmm, poor Christine! Well, at least she didn't get raped...again. Remember-REVIEW!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Okay guys-you had better feel blessed! This is going to be the last chapter for about 6 weeks. Yes, I said 6 weeks. I'll be writing though! I'm going to Ontario because I have a cabin at the lake just outside of Thunder Bay. And we don't have internet of course.**

**Anyway-I want to thank you all for the birthday wishes! It was a great one (besides being blackmailed by my friend I mean-she blackmailed me saying she wouldn't do something for me that I really wanted-recording Howard McGillin's last Broadway show backstage. She's going to do it now though...). And yes-I really am 14 for those of you who asked but thanks for the compliments!**

**Sorry to take up so much of your time-so go on and read chapter 6 of Flames of Innocence!**

**Disclaimer. I do not own POTO, that belongs to Gaston Leroux and Erik's design is (c) of Andrew Lloyd Webber...**

Chapter 6

Erik glanced down at his sleeping angel. She was safe in the bedroom he had designed for her all those years ago. No one could tell it was for her of course-that would be much too risky-but it had all of the books and CDs she liked. Or had liked. He wasn't so sure anymore. He had just been assuming when he had made this room. If she liked something different he would gladly redecorate it for her.

He reached down and gently stroked her cheek; he had dressed her in a bathrobe he had purchased for her. It was made of white silk, it made her truly look like an angel.

And his angel had been defiled by that horrible man. Not that he was alive anymore, no Erik would not stand for that. He didn't have any regrets about killing him either. He had killed before, in fact that was how he had met Nadir. ..

XXXXX

He had been fifteen or sixteen and was on the streets. His previous foster parents had kicked him out, not bothering to take him to the company.

_Freak, we're doing everyone a favour no one would want you as their son." They had said. Erik had been devastated but knew that they were right. He had been huddling in an ally way one night when it had been raining. He had found an umbrella in the trash and it was only ripped a little bit. He would have been in the church as usual-he liked it there-but it was a holiday. Easter maybe? He didn't know. He had never celebrated a holiday before. He had not even been exactly sure when his date of birth was. Oh-he knew the year of course, just not the month and day._

_Anyway, he had been out in the ally way when he had been surrounded by a gang that had been picking on him for a few weeks. This time they looked drenched an angry. Violent even._

_They had surrounded him and taken the umbrella away, smashed it to pieces. The leader advanced on Erik._

"_Hey, freak. Did you think that you could get away with wearing that mask on the streets to hide your identity? I bet you're some rich fop's son. Come on, let us see that pretty face under the mask!" He had mocked. Erik had been filled with an unexplainable rage, though he kept it hidden. He rose gracefully to tower over all the boys, though they were all wider and more muscular then him he was stronger. But, not only did they outnumber him, they had surrounded him. He knew that he would have to talk himself out of this one._

"_I would advise you did not do that. My mask is a sacred thing that you would best not touch. Erik's face scares him sometimes." He had said, only slipping at the end, using third person to show his anger at the boys. Most were a margin older than him, some were the same age or younger as well. The younger ones looked around thirteen or fourteen._

_The leader laughed and the rest followed, it seemed what Erik had said was amusing._

"_Did ya hear that boys? 'Erik' would advise us not to remove his mask! And his face scares him sometimes! What? You look too much like daddy? Such a shame!" They had mocked. They had a basis for this guess. Erik would only accept the best clothes-nothing worse. As such he had stolen a tailcoat tuxedo from a store. Erik's French accent also hinted at nobler origins. Far from the boys cockney accents. _

"_My father is dead-and I doubt that even he would like to see this face. I am built of death from head to toe. So yes, I believe that I do look like him!" Erik suddenly snapped. A few of the boys took a step back at the obvious threat in the voice, but stepped forward when they saw that their leader hadn't done anything._

"_Ah-it seems that this boy don't think highly of himself mates! Shall we give him even more of a reason?" He asked, grinning. There was a roar of agreement from the crowd. There was probably about eight to ten boys in all. The leader motioned for the two biggest to grab Erik. They did, he fought viciously, scratching and biting to try to get away but in the end it was an unsuccessful attempt. They had him pinned to the ground, struggling. At first they had just held him there, enjoying his useless attempts to get free. Then, they had decided to get violent._

"_Come on boys let's give this creep more things than just his face to hide!" The leader had said, laughing. He then kicked Erik in the stomach. Erik felt his breath leave him as he gasped. Then, all the other boys started to kick him. He saw black after he heard one of his ribs crack. He felt a blinding pain that almost knocked him unconscious. He felt blood fill his mouth after a few minutes. And the mask chafed against his skin and rubbed sores into the already delicate flesh. He cried out in pain for the first time and the boys laughed._

"_Come on! You can do better than that!" One of the younger boys said before a particularly vicious kick. Erik coughed and spat blood on the ground._

"_Let me go!" He cried. The boys continued to mock him._

_Finally they decided to finish up._

"_Come on, let's see what his face really looks like!" They said. One of the braver of the few came up to Erik tensely and touched his mask. Erik tried to bite the boy but one of the others held his mouth closed._

_Finally, he ripped the mask from his face. There were gasps from all around. Even people who had seen the worst of life had never seen anything as bad as Erik's face._

_After the initial shock the leader came up and examined Erik's face. _

_It was a masterpiece of grayish, pulsating, translucent-yet-scarred ugliness. Just liberated from the mask, it wore a sheen of sweat, which gave it an eerily gelatinous look. The eye had no lashes and no eyebrow. There were scabs that covered around the edges of his head. They were both new and old, from wearing the mask so long. Some of the ones that had happened in the last few months had been ripped off and were spilling blood down Erik's face. He glared at them, utterly consumed by his rage._

_The two men that had been sitting on him fell off in their shock. He seized this chance and jumped off of them. He looked around wildly and realized that one of them had dropped a dagger when he had seen Erik's face. It had most likely been a smaller one. By that time most of them had fled, there were about four or five left, including the leader. Erik's rage was so great that he could no longer feel the injuries from his wounds._

_He lunged at one of the smaller ones first, still older than him though. They tried to put up a fight but were no match for Erik when he wasn't sane. There were two of them and he quickly slit their throats. Their blood stained his hands and clothes. His own blood mixed in with it. He turned to the other two men with a crazed look in his eye. They flinched but did not run. This turned out to be their mistake in the end._

_The leader grabbed something out of his pocket, Erik did not know what it was at first, but then realized when he saw the glint of metal that it had been a gun. Though, the part of him that was rational argued that he should run-he had already killed two people- the irrational and dominant part of him urged him to keep going. Kill the bastards who had caused him so much pain._

_He lunged, not caring what happened to him. The leader wrestled with the gun, obviously untrained. He had never had to use it before. His men had never been defeated. Erik used this to his advantage. He didn't see the other one come up behind him and grab the knife out of Erik hand, after kicking him down._

_Erik stood back up unsteadily. He still could not feel any pain. He was like a wild animal, all instinct. The second man looked at him, gloating._

"_What are you going to do know monster? You have no weapons!" He taunted. Erik took advantage of his distraction and crept up on the man. Before the other man knew what was happening he had strangled him to death._

_The Leader looked on in horror, realizing what he had done. And that he was the only one left. He hit the gun, as if that would make it work. He frantically began to check everything over, as if to find what was not making it work._

_Erik slowly stalked the man, relishing the fear he say in his eyes. _

"_G-get away from me you murderer!" The man cried as he held up a dagger that he had pulled from his boot. Erik could see him shaking. He grinned in anticipation._

_The man was starting to relax and look over his gun when Erik leaped. The leader let out a terrified shriek and then all was silent._

_Erik stood there for a moment in shock. Then his wits came about him and he looked down at his bloodstained hands. He had no regrets about what he had done. The human race had long denied him. It was time for him to get revenge._

_He stood there, panting. Then the pain kicked in and the last thing he had saw was flashing lights and shadowy figures. Then he fainted._

_He woke up in a hospital room. He knew that much. The familiar beeps of the machines had not changed since he was eight years old. _

_He immediately reached up to see if he had his mask on, or something to cover his face. To his relief the scarred half was covered by gauze. He sighed and felt a stabbing pain in his chest. He tried to move but it only worsened._

_He glanced down and was surprised to see that the once white bandages that covered his chest were now stained a crimson color. He cursed in about three different languages._

_All of a sudden he saw a movement from the side of his eye. He braced himself for pain, anything really._

_What he did not expect to see was a middle eastern man stretching and looking as if he had been sitting at Erik's bedside the whole time._

_The man blinked at and looked at Erik with obvious surprise._

"_You're up." He stated, with a hint of an Iranian accent. Erik almost smiled but held his face steady._

"_Really? I haven't noticed." He said dryly, wondering who the man was. The corner of the man's mouth seemed to twitch but then stopped._

"_Yes well-would you care to explain what happened last night?" He asked getting straight to the point._

_Erik had expected this and wasn't that nervous-he just wanted to have a little fun with the man first._

"_Last night? My, my, you are quite a rude man are you not? You have not even introduced yourself to me and here you are asking me questions. I think that you need a lesson in manners." He reprimanded. The man was clearly aggravated now, but was very good at hiding it._

"_Really? And why have you not introduced yourself? Or do you consider yourself rude as well?"He questioned with a raised eyebrow. He thought he had caught Erik, but the truth was he had fallen into his trap._

"_Ah-am I truly being rude? Or am I just returning a favour? Besides-if I am not considered human is it not my right to be rude?" He asked smugly. The Iranian just stared at him. He just shrugged. "C'est la vie."_

"_What are you talking about?" The man managed to spit out. Erik looked at him, completely amused by this game._

"_Ah-that would be telling would it not?" He asked with a raised eyebrow._

_The man's fingernails bit into his palms. _

"_Stop playing games with me!" He ordered. Erik shrugged._

"_All I do is play games." He answered._

_The man sighed, he was always stuck with the crazy ones._

"_Fine, I'm the chief of police Nadir Khan." He introduced. Erik nodded in approval._

"_Was that really so hard? No, I didn't think so. Since you have been so kind I will introduce myself-I am Erik." He said with a grand gesture to mimic a bow._

"_I would make a formal bow but it seems as if I am incapable to do so at the moment." He explained._

_Nadir resisted the urge to roll his eyes._

"_Alright Erik-care to explain what happened last night?" He asked through clenched teeth._

_Erik seemed to consider it for a moment._

"_Actually, no, no I wouldn't my dear Daroga." He answered. At first Nadir didn't register the words._

"_Wait-what did you call me?" He gasped, staring at the boy. Erik looked at him as though he was an idiot._

"_I called you Daroga. Is that not what they call police chiefs in your country?" He asked, eyes closed as if trying to remember something he had learned long ago._

"_Well yes-yes it is. But how would you know? You're what-eighteen? Nineteen?" He asked. Erik looked at him with a look he could not yet distinguish. _

"_Your observation skills are sorely lacking my fair Daroga. I am sixteen." He replied with a hint of contempt._

_Nadir's eyes almost popped out of his skull._

"_Sixteen?" He whispered in awe. "You're sixteen and you know my language?"_

"_I know many languages monsieur-thirteen at my last count."He said nonchalantly. Nadir thought he would go into cardiac arrest right there. Well, there was no better place if he did really._

"_Thirteen?!"He spluttered. "Liar! I don't even know half of that!" Erik's eyes flashed dangerously._

"_You call me a liar and yet you have no proof of this. If you will badger me with false accusations I would demand you leave." He snarled._

_Nadir just shook his head in disbelief._

"_Impossible, impossible!" He muttered. _

_Erik glared at him and rang the bell for a nurse. A small, plump blond woman hurried in about two minutes after Erik rang the bell_

"_Oh-you're up!" She exclaimed suddenly looking nervous and standing back from him. That made it clear that she has seen his face before it had been bandaged up. This made Erik wonder who many people had seen him on display._

"_Very good, mademoiselle. Now, if you would be as kind as to remove this man from my room-I would like to rest." Erik requested. The nurse happily agreed. It was obvious that she didn't like Nadir very much._

"_Of course." She replied and gave Nadir a dirty look and motioned for him to follow. After they left Erik closed his eyes and succumbed to sleep._

_Nadir came by everyday to see if he could get Erik to tell him anything. The answer was always no of course-Erik was enjoying the game too much. Well, until about a week after the accident happened._

_Nadir walked into the room as usual and asked him the question._

"_Well Erik, ready to talk about what happened today?" Erik turned and glared at him. Nadir had not seen him glare in at least four days and wondered what was wrong._

"_Why do you come here? Don't you have anything better to do? You must know that I will leave the hospital in a couple of days! I thank the police for their generous donation to help save my life. Though I have my suspicions that there is an ulterior motive to that. But why do you not leave me alone? I don't want you here! Leave me and never come back like everyone else!" He shouted. He had had enough of the game-it was getting tiring and repetitive. _

"_Well if you would just answer some questions we would be done here!"Nadir snapped. He wondered what had gotten into Erik today. He had never seen him like this before._

"_Answer the questions? Ha! If I answered them you would be terrified of me!" Erik replied. Nadir sighed, wondering what had happened in this boy's life to make him so terrified of trusting people._

"_Erik-I have dealt with some of the world's most violent murders. I doubt that a sixteen year old boy could scare me." Nadir replied, slightly amused. He remember all the people who had been much worse than this boy._

_Erik hesitated for a moment. Then he decided to tell him just to prove him wrong._

_He told him every little detail-well almost. He didn't tell him what his face looked like, he couldn't bear to._

_By the end of the tale Nadir was white turning green._

"_Monster." He whispered. This was all it took to make Erik snap._

"_A monster monsieur? Oh I do not doubt it! I am most certainly a monster! I don't know why you tried to deny it for so long. Now that you know what I really am you can lock me up for life and try to forget me! It happens all the time. With my precious mother and with everyone else. Go ahead monsieur-do it!" He roared._

_Nadir shook his head._

"_Not you-them. They attacked a defenceless boy. You did nothing and yet they attacked you. How could they? Only monsters would do that. Erik, I couldn't put anyone in jail for that. I'll help you every minute of the way if they want to lock you up. I can't let them do it. My conscience wouldn't let me." Nadir explained. Erik snorted._

"_A conscience? I don't need your pity-or your so called conscience. The world deserves to be freed from me-from a monster." He said. Nadir began to become frustrated. He took the boy by the shoulders, tempted to shake him._

"_You have one too you know! We all have one!" Nadir yelled. Erik just smirked._

"_I do not have one my dear Daroga-if I ever had one it has been beaten out of me." He chortled. Nadir shook his head._

"_If so Erik-it may very well be true-but if so then I pity you. I pity you very much." Nadir said sadly. Erik suddenly snarled at him._

"_I don't need yourpity. You're just trying to get me to trust you so that you can hurt me more. I won't stand for it-I won't!" He yelled. He then tried to force Nadir's hands off his shoulders but Nadir started to struggle and accidently broke the clip that held the bandages the covered Erik's face._

_The bandages started to unravel and Erik let out an animalistic cry, desperately trying to keep the bandages on his face._

_It didn't work, the bandages fell off and Nadir saw the ravaged side of Erik's face._

"_Allah above!" He whispered, turning even whiter than before. It was true that Nadir had seen a lot of bloody messes in his career-but among all of them Erik face was one of the worst things he had ever seen._

_Erik glared back at him._

"_So-you wanted to see as well did you? Are you satisfied monsieur? Do you now see the monster that hides behind a mask-waiting to get out? Do you?! Answer me!" Erik roared._

_Nadir shook his head._

"_Erik, that's not what I intended to do-I swear to it! But please, trust me!" Nadir begged. Erik calmed down and sighed._

"_I know Daroga-I know. Somehow I have a feeling you have contracted a new job-being my conscience."_

XXXXXX

Erik shook his head and looked down on his sleeping angel-the only thing that lit the room was a dim lamp on the bedside table.

He knew that she would wake up in the morning-and then he would decide what to do with her. But for now-for always he would stay by her side.

He got up and looked around her room with growing interest. He had designed it of course-he would not let anyone else have that honour-but he had ordered the help to buy books and CDs and other items for her.

He examined one of the many bookshelves and one book in particular that caught his eye.

It was called The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux.

This perked Erik's interest and so he picked it up and flipped to the first page

_The Opera ghost really existed. He was not, as was long believed, a creature of the imagination of the artists, the superstition of the managers, or a product of the absurd and impressionable brains of the young ladies of the ballet, their mothers, the box-keepers, the cloak-room attendants or the concierge. Yes, he existed in flesh and blood, although he assumed the complete appearance of a real phantom; that is to say, of a spectral shade...._


	7. Chapter 7

**I found a computer! My neighbor has internet it appears. I tried to finish this chapter in a hurry if you can't tell....anyway-have fun reading and review please!**

**All former disclamers apply.**

Chapter 7

"Daddy!" Christine cried as she bolted up in an unfamiliar room. She looked around, trying to see where she was. Then, she caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure that seemed to have just woken up as well.

"Christine?" Erik asked, worried. He had fallen asleep after reading the book and had been woken up by Christine's screaming.

"Erik? Where am I? What am I doing here?" Christine asked, slightly panicked. He sighed.

"You're safe-in my home, this is the guest bedroom. I brought you here after I...found you in the ally." He replied evasively. He didn't want to tell her that he had killed the man-or that he had been following her.

Her hands reached under the neckline of her shirt and for a brief second he wondered what the hell she was doing. To his relief-or it could have been interpreted as disappointment-she was not stripping. She pulled out a chain that has a cross on it. She sighed in relief.

"What's that?"He asked curiously. He had never noticed it before. Then again he didn't make a habit of looking under her clothes.

"It's the crucifix my father gave to me about two weeks before he died. It used to be my mother's." She whispered, tears gathering in her eyes thinking about it's history. She was glad to see it hadn't been ripped off the night before.

"Christine...I don't want you scaring me like that again! Please, promise me that you'll never go back there!"Erik blurted. Christine looked down.

"I-I can't promise that Erik. I have to earn a living, now that I have Meg and Ayesha. I can't just work minimum wage as a bar maid. It's not enough. And nowhere else is hiring for hours I can do." She admitted quietly.

"You could have done _something_! Stayed in the Canada-the U.S-some country that doesn't have whores on every street corner!" He spat with rage. There was always a choice! Why didn't she pick the right one? Why didn't he?

Her face hardened.

"Nice to see you think so highly of me _Mr Destler_. If you'll excuse me-I have to get home. Meg will be worried about me." She seethed.

She tried to get up but Erik stood in front of her, arms crossed and determined that she would not pass.

"You are not going anywhere _Ms Daae, _you're injured, in shock and I-" He stopped, horrified at what he was about to say. He was just about to confess that he loved her!

"You what?" She asked curiously.

"I'd rather babysit you in the comfort of my own home then where you could get into trouble again!" He said, without thinking.

She almost turned purple from rage.

"Why you ignorant son of a-" She started but Erik cut her off.

"I'm sorry-I didn't mean that-and watch the language! What I meant to say was that it's not safe for you....if you would like I could help you look for a job..." He said the last part a bit awkwardly. Christine stared at him a moment-wondering if he had split personalities.

"I don't need your charity. If you would like I could be your whore-oh I forgot, you already have someone for that position." She sneered. She was jealous-there was no denying it. And it hurt her that she wasn't the one who could take care of him. She wanted to be the one he treated so tenderly.

Erik looked lost. What had he said? All he had asked is if she needed help with a job. But he understood that he was on the defensive and decided to leave her alone to sulk.

"I will leave you to contemplate what you just said." He replied and walked out the door, locking the door from the outside. He heard her try to open the door, then start banging on it.

"Erik-what are you doing?! You bastard! You can't leave me here! Answer me!" She shouted, after that she shouted random things. He stayed behind and listened, amused to what she was saying. After an hour he heard something so rare that he bolted straight up, as though electrocuted.

She had started to sing. Not anything serious really, it was from the musical Sweeny Todd. The song was 'She's only a bird in a gilded cage'. Under any other circumstance he would have found it amusing.

But her voice! She was not a human-she must have been an angel come from heaven! For what reason, he had no idea. What had he ever done to deserve God's grace? He couldn't stand it. He needed to make sure that it was really Christine in there and not an angel.

He slid the key into the lock and slid the door open, stepping into the room. Almost forgetting to close the door behind him. Almost. Not quite though.

As soon as he stepped through the door Christine stopped singing and looked at him expectantly.

"Well? Am I sprung?" She asked, crossing her arms. He looked at her, speechless. Did she not see the effect she had on him?

Ignoring her question he asked her

"Why do you have such degrading jobs when you sing like _that_?"

She looked at him with sadness he had seen in no other eyes other than his. He wanted to cut out his tongue for saying something that wounded her so deeply.

"Because-I don't sing." She replied, trying to get past him. He blocked her off.

"Then what was that I just heard?" He asked, getting frustrated. Were women always like that? So stubborn?

"It's called I want to leave! Just leave me alone Erik! Go back to the person who deserves you!" She cried. He stared at her in astonishment-leaving his defences wide open.

She dashed for the door-reaching it just in time. She opened it and closed it quickly. She looked down the long hallway, realizing she didn't have long.

She ran to the left-it seemed like the best idea. When she realized that the stairs weren't that way and she reached a dead end she hid herself in the nearest room.

It turned out to be a bathroom and she locked the door. How was she going to get out of this? The man she had a crush on-not only did he already have a mistress but now she was in his house, being hunted down and treated as if she were a rabid animal! What on earth was going on?

Yet somehow she couldn't find it in herself to regret a single moment of it...

XXX

After the shock of Christine actually running from him wore off Erik dashed out into the hallway.

What was she thinking?! All he asked was for her to sing! With her Angel's voice! And what did she mean about having a whore and someone who deserves him? It was he that did not deserve to even look at her! He was a monster! He had the blood of many people on his hands and yet it was him that did not deserve _her_?

Women!

He looked both left and right, wondering what direction she went. He decided to try the right first, if she had gone that way she would have had to find the door that held the stairs-and it was very well concealed.

He took off in the direction and looked around. Most of the doors on this side of the hallway was locked-not even the servants had a key. Most of them had to do with his obsession with Christine.

She was obviously not down here. That only left the other side of the hallway. That would complicate things. Most of those doors were open (though not all of them) and had some pretty good hiding spots.

He ran down the other side and looked into each room, making sure to be absolutely silent. Finally he reached the dead end and there was no sign of the lovely lady.

He looked around in bewilderment. Where could she have gone?

He quietly looked around the hallway, counting off the rooms, checking to see if there were any he had missed.

Wait-why was one of the bathrooms closed?

Ah-so his little vixen had found a hiding spot! Rather clever of her too!

He made sure that she would be able to hear his footsteps as they walked down the hallway.

"Have you found her Charles? No? Then she probably escaped downstairs. Let's go check!" He used the ventriloquism technique he had learned years earlier to make it appear that his voice was going down the hallway.

He thought he heard a sigh of relief come from behind the door-then the sound of footsteps. He walked down the hall a ways and then hid in one of the other rooms, waiting for her to come out.

When she did she poked her head out first, making sure that he wasn't there, ready to run back in if he was. When she was satisfied she stepped out fully. He caught his breath and once again wondered why God had given her back to him.

She started down the hall, looking into every room and ready to bolt at any minute at a sign of movement.

As she inched her way down the hall Erik got ready to pounce. He knew he would have to be quick about it.

As he heard her footsteps approach he tensed. Finally she was inch beyond the door.

He jumped and grabbed her. She screamed, but he covered her mouth with his hand.

"Now my dear we are going to walk back to your room and discuss this rationally." He compromised. She nodded mutely.

"Good, good. Nice to see you're being agreeable." He murmured into her ear. She shivered and he wondered what he had done to repulse her so much.

When they marched down the hall Christine had a feeling like she was walking towards a start of a new life.


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry for such a long time between updates! I would have updated last week but my neighbour went on vacation. Anyway, I managed to get all my stories updated! I really had nothing better to do you see...anyway-have fun reading and please review!**

Chapter 8

Erik nervously led Christine down the hall, not exactly sure what was going to happen. But he knew something was going to change-and drastically.

He locked the room this time-just in case though he was fairly sure that she wouldn't make another escape attempt.

"Christine-I am willing to make a compromise. If you quit your other job I will offer you a full time job at the bar-as a singer. I think it's time that we get one." He offered, incredibly nervous. He had been thinking about that last night-he didn't care how much he had to offer her but he wanted her safe and in a relatively non-degrading job.

"I don't sing." Christine replied flatly. As much as the job appealed to her she wouldn't-couldn't sing. It still hurt too much.

"Why not? You have limitless potential Christine!" He argued.

"It's because if I do it reminds me of my father!" She cried, remembering him suddenly. His pain.

"And why is that a bad thing? Don't you want to remember him? Remember the good times?" He asked shrewdly, knowing he had a point.

Christine stared at him.

"What do you know of pain and suffering?" She asked with clear venom in her voice.

This was too much for Erik. If it had been anyone else but Christine asking that question they would have been dead on the spot-no afterthoughts.

"What do I know? I know more than you my dear!" Erik said with despair, rage and mockery in his voice. Christine flinched at these raw emotions.

"How?" She asked, truly curious.

"Let me tell you a story Christine." Erik yielded after a moment. Christine nodded.

"There once was a beautiful young woman named Madeline-she and her husband Charles were perfect together. They lived in a village near Rouen. A few months before they were married Madeline found out she was expecting his child-he married her, out of love for her and their unborn child. Suddenly, three months before the child was born there was a car accident. Charles was killed. During the fire half of his face was destroyed. Madeline was devastated. She desperately wished that her unborn child would look like her late husband. Three months later she got her wish. Half the child's face was twisted and deformed upon birth-no one knew why. On previous checkups everything had been a go. Madeline was disgusted and terrified of this child. He was a genius. She asked her pastor to name him-they christened him Erik.

As Erik grew Madeline grew more terrified of her son. She began to abuse him physically and mentally. Then she began a downward spiral. She lost her sanity and by the time Erik was six she was ready for an asylum. Erik was scared to tell anybody of her-he wasn't even allowed outside of the house in fear that people would ask what had happened to him, the scars that he could not hide.

One day, just before Erik turned seven his mother committed suicide. She had called the police before in a moment of clarity and Erik ran before they could get there. There was technically no records that he was even alive-Madeline had bribed people not to record his birth. She had been too ashamed of him.

Eventually Erik made it to America-after a year of traveling by boat, by foot, anything to get away from his childhood.

On the day I left I burned down the family home and all the familiar things inside, because some memories aren't meant to leave to leave traces."

Christine was horrified to hear this-what had this man's life been like?

"I'm sorry Erik...I didn't know." She apologized. He laughed bitterly.

"How could you? No one but me knew that little story."

"Angel of Music

Who deserves this?

Why do you curse mercy?" Christine sang softly. Erik's eyes widened.

"Where is that from?" He demanded. It sounded an awful lot like the book he had read last night-but there were no lines like that in it.

"You don't know?" Christine asked in shock, he shook his head.

"No."

"It's from my favourite Broadway play-it's famous all around the world. It's called The Phantom of the Opera." She revealed. Erik groaned and buried his head in his hands.

"What?" She asked, bewildered.

"It's everywhere!" He complained. Christine had to laugh.

"What are you talking about?" She asked.

"I read the book last night while waiting for you to wake up." He answered.

"I can't believe you have never seen the play or the movie-it's world famous! I have to admit, when I first saw you I thought you were an avid 'phan'." She admitted.

"Why?" He questioned.

"Well, to be frank because of your mask. In the play by Andrew Lloyd Webber the Phantom only wears a half mask." She replied. He stiffened.

"I will have to see this play." He said with finality. Christine shook her head.

"It's nowhere near here, it left France years ago. Right now the only places it's playing is on Broadway, on the National tour, in Las Vegas and in London." She explained.

He looked at her.

"Which is the best place to see it?" He asked. She seemed to think about it for a moment.

"It depends-I've only ever seen it on Broadway, but I hear the Vegas version has amazing special effects and great actors-though it was cut to 95 minutes. The Broadway version is amazing-but not as great special effects. London I hear is spectacular and I don't think you want to see it on the national tour-it's constantly moving though I hear it's great as well." She said.

"What about the actors?" He seemed interested in this.

"Well, in London I don't know about the Raoul or Christine, but the Phantom is played by Ramin Karimloo. He's amazing-I've listened to him on the internet. In Vegas the Phantom is Anthony Crivello, Raoul is Andrew Ragone and the Christine is Kristi Holden or Kristen Hertzenburg. The Vegas cast is spectacular. One of the best I have ever heard. On Broadway the Phantom is played by John Cudia, Raoul is Ryan Silverman and Christine is Jennifer Hope Willis." She listed.

He contemplated this.

"I will see later which one I want to see." He finally said. She nodded.

"I hope that gave you sufficient time to think of my offer." He continued. She looked down momentarily and nodded.

"I've decided that I would do it-if I could. But I can't Erik! I can't sing anymore!" She almost started to cry. He sighed and offered his hand to her. She took it hesitantly and let him lead her down the hallway into an unmarked room that was locked. He pulled out the key and slid it in.

Christine gasped when she stepped in-it was a music room, that much was clear. There was a grand piano in the middle of the room and many other instruments-some that she couldn't identify all around. He walked over to the piano and sat down.

"Scales." He demanded. Then started playing.

Christine couldn't sing-his playing was too amazing to even think about ruining it with her voice.

"I said scales!" Erik barked, a strict teacher. He started over and Christine had to rush to catch up.

They practiced for an hour before Christine realized what was happening-his music had hypnotized her with it's beauty.

Erik proved to be a strict yet gentle teacher that was eager to hear her sing.

"Erik-even if I can sing here, I will never be able to sing without you up on stage!" She said desperately.

"Which is why I will be accompanying you." He answered smoothly. Her head jerked up to look him in the eye.

"You? Are you kidding? You barely go out as it is!" She said incredulously. He decided to ignore that remark-for the sake of peace.

"I will be the one accompanying you-now; if you will step into my office we shall negotiate your contract." He said motioning to another door in the hallway.

The room held a large desk that was full of papers, many books and two chairs on the opposite side, meant for clients.

He sat down on his side of the desk and motioned for her to sit down.

"Now, let me write up a contract for you, then I will need you to sign a few documents..."He trailed off as he scribbled out a contract for her.

A few moments later it was ready and he pointed to all the places of importance.

"Alright, if you sign here and here that should finalize it. Oh-and that's what your monthly salary will be." He explained pointing to all the spots.

Christine briefly glanced at what her salary was going to be-it honestly didn't matter anymore. As long as it paid better than whoring herself on the street.

At first it was a brief glance, then she looked away. Then she looked at it again.

"_That's _my salary?" She exclaimed. He looked at her puzzled.

"Yes, if you would like I could raise it by a few hundred Euros...." He trailed off. She shook her head vigorously.

"Erik-I can't accept that much! It's far too much!" She argued. He looked at her.

"I am not going to argue this Christine. You will take what is offered and nothing less-you will buy yourself a new apartment that at least has two bedrooms and a decent sized kitchen. And that allows pets of course. Remember-you have yourself, little Giry and Ayesha depending on you now. You can't afford to refuse this."He replied logically. She sighed and signed the contract.

"There monsieur. I have signed it, but now what?" Christine asked.

Erik shrugged.

"I will come looking with you for a flat that will suit you and Mlle Giry. Then, we shall leave for work." He said reasonably. Christine stared at him.

"Why are you doing this Erik?" She asked. He seemed to contemplate this for a minute, then opened his mouth to speak.

"It's because I l-"

"Erik! Where have you been? I have been trying to call you for the last hour! You were supposed to be at that meeting an hour and a half ago!" Nadir shouted as he stepped into Erik's office.

Erik growled at him, then leaped. He grabbed Nadir by the collar and shoved him up against the wall.

"What have I told you about interrupting me? You will regret this Nadir! In the little time you have left you will regret this!" He growled. Christine looked up, alarmed.

Nadir just studied Erik calmly, this had happened before.

"Now Erik-we both know that you don't mean that. If you'll just put me down I would like to formally meet your guest." He said serenely. Erik growled again for good measure but let him down. He didn't want to appear rude in front of Christine-though it was a bit late for that now he supposed.

Nadir bowed. Then raised himself and shook her hand.

"I am Police chief Nadir Khan-you can call me Nadir. I am Erik's friend-his only friend I assume by his behaviour." He added glancing at Erik. Erik glared at him.

Christine smiled warmly at him.

"Nice to meet you Nadir. You should probably get Erik to that meeting now-I don't want to take up any more of his time." She said.

Nadir shook his head scowling at Erik.

"Thanks to Mr Unsociable here I had to postpone the meeting until next week."

Erik shrugged.

"I don't see why they want to meet with me anyway. I thought I had cast my opinions with the last man." He said. Nadir looked at him.

"Erik! You made that man cry! You scared every other person who walked into your office half to death after that!" Nadir reprimanded. Erik had the grace to look slightly abashed-for Christine of course. He was secretly proud of his work.

"He is a business man! He should be able to handle to corporate pressures!" He defended his actions. Nadir shook his head.

"Erik, that man wanted to buy a painting of yours. He was an artist. Artists are not well versed in business." He replied.

"Well, if you want to live in a capitalist society you have to learn to work with aggressive business men." Erik shot back.

"And what about that girl that came to our house selling cookies a few years ago?" Nadir reminded him.

"She needs to learn that once people say no they mean no." Erik answered.

Nadir just shook his head and looked at Christine.

"Christine, a word of advice. You can converse with Erik about anything that catches your interest-but never, never talk business with him. He is a scary, scary man when he talks business." He advised. Christine just nodded.

"Thank you for the advice Nadir. I'll make sure I heed it…seeing Erik that scary again would be terrible…" She shivered thinking of the way he had looked at Nadir when he had him shoved up against the wall.

Erik just glared at them both.

"Scusi, but would you mind not talking about me as if I were not here?" He asked sarcastically. Christine looked at him confused.

"Scusi?" She questioned. He shrugged.

"It's Italian. It means excuse me." He explained. She looked at him strangely.

"What?" He demanded seeing her look at him like that.

"Do you always speak in random languages?' She asked.

"Sometimes. It helps get the message across." He said.

"How many languages do you know, and by know I mean can speak fluently." She wondered. He seemed to think for a moment.

"Around 16-17." He said after a minute. Christine's jaw dropped and she stared at him.

He shrugged.

"When you travel half as much as I do-and deal with as much business you have to speak a lot of languages." He said, trying to get her to understand. She managed to nod then looked at the clock.

"Oh no! Is it really that time already?" She asked panicking. Erik looked at the clock and chuckled.

"Actually, no-it's not. I keep my clock on a different time each time Nadir leaves the office-that way he never sees the real time when he comes in. It's taught him to wear a watch here." He said, still chuckling. Christine sighed in relief and caught Nadir scowling at Erik.

"So that's your trick! I always wondered why your clock was wrong!" He said. Erik looked at him.

"Yes well, it gets you back for everything you have ever done to me." He retorted.

Christine looked between them both as they argued. Then, she finally decided to interrupt.

"I'm sorry to interrupt-but I really ought to be going. Thanks again Erik, for this opportunity and though I don't really appreciate being locked in a room..." At this Nadir gave Erik a sharp glance.

She started to back out of the room. Making sure she never let her back to Erik, just in case. He tried to follow her but at that moment his phone rang-and he knew he couldn't ignore it. It was from the opera house. He was going to tell Christine to wait but when he looked up she was already gone. Just when he thought it was time to tell her that he loved her! Oh he would get Nadir for this and it would be more painful than he could ever imagine!

He sighed somewhat dejectedly and answered the phone which had stopped him from being with Christine. _His _Christine.

**XXX**

Christine ran quickly and quietly out of the manor. But, no matter what she did she could hear the servant's whispers behind her. Some were sympathizing with her and others didn't include her-but all of them were malicious towards one masked man that occupied the house. As she progressed through the living room she heard some very slanderous things about her and Erik. One made her flinch because it was somewhat close to the truth.

"Who is that coming from the master's office?" She heard a skinny black haired woman ask.

"She's probably the master's whore." A gentleman in a tux whispered back. She blushed crimson and looked down, hurrying even faster to get to the outside.

When she finally got outside she looked around, trying to discern where exactly she was. To her surprise she was in the fanciest, most expensive division of Paris.

_He's richer than I thought. I wonder what he wants with me, little messed up Christine Daae. _She thought to herself. She tried to shake those thoughts from her head and hailed a cab.

She went back to her apartment first, she knew that she would be in big trouble from Meg. After all-Meg hadn't seen her since the night that Erik took her out.

_Was that really only two nights ago? It seems like forever. _She thought to herself as the cab pulled up in front of the building. She paid the cabbie, surprised that she still had money in her purse. She would have thought that it had been taken. Before Erik rescued her that is. She briefly wondered why he was there anyway. The man had taken her into a secluded ally. She also wondered what happened to the man. He had probably gotten away. But why would he have run away without raping or robbing her first? She would have known if she was raped. There is no way that you cannot tell.

When she went inside she didn't know what to expect-crying, anger, relief. What she did not expect was exuberance.

"Oh my God Christine! Why didn't you tell me?" She practically screamed as Christine entered the apartment. Christine bore the look of a woman who just got shot.

"Tell you what?" She asked, bewildered.

"That you're going out with Erik Destler!" Meg squealed. Christine looked down; she didn't need to be reminded that Erik thought nothing more of her than a friend.

"I'm not... he already has a lady." She whispered. Meg stared at her incredulously.

"Are you serious? Come on Christine! This is Erik that we are talking about! Last time I saw him he was grumbling about how incompetent the human race was!" She said sceptically.

Christine nodded.

"You haven't seen him in a while right? Well, if he didn't have a mistress why would he tell me that he did and have multiple dresses at that shop?" She asked helplessly. Meg shrugged.

"Maybe he has a fetish." She said. Christine glared at her, feeling tears come to her eyes.

"I doubt it Meg-I really do..." She trailed off, desperately trying not to cry. Meg saw this and sat down on the couch. She patted the spot next to her.

"Come on Chris, I know we haven't known each other for very long. But I can honestly say you are the person I have felt the closest to in my entire life. All of my other so called 'friends' wouldn't take me in when they found out about my problem. But you...we had only known each other for five minutes and you offered me a home. The least I can do is try to help you." She said honestly. Christine took a shuddering breath.

"Okay-I guess I should start from the beginning..." With that she told her everything that had gone on with Erik the past few days. By the end she actually did feel better. Like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

At the end Meg was staring at her with wide eyes.

"Geez Christine! Are you sure that was Erik? In all the years my mom has known him he has never, never been that nice to anyone! I mean seriously! A salary of _that_ much? Face it girlie-he's very much in love with you." She exclaimed. Christine sighed.

"He already loves someone else Meg-face it. He could never love me-he's so perfect." She said.

Meg looked at her as if she was insane.

"Are you sure you're talking about Erik Destler? I mean, seriously. Every time he came over to our house he would scare the wits out of me! I remember one time when he was around...he must have been seven or eight. I remember he showed up at our door-my mom knew his mom. He was singed and coved in soot as well as blood. His eyes were wild. I was around five or six. I was terrified. I cowered behind my mom. She was shocked. She had barely seen him before that-only when she visited his mother. She had been one of the people that had attended his birth-my mom had. She was one of the only people-if the only person-who treated Erik as a human being. He appreciated this and so she was the natural choice for him to come to if there was something wrong. I remember him looking at her and his eyes became calmer. My mom asked him what was wrong and if he needed help. He looked at her with dull eyes and told her that his mother was dead. She had committed suicide-we found out later that she had stabbed herself right in front of Erik. My mom was heartbroken. Madeline had been one of her best friends. But that didn't explain the soot. He refused to tell her anything except that the house had been burned down after the ambulance took his mother's body to the morgue. My mom wanted to take him in but he refused-said that he couldn't stand to be in the country anymore. After that we didn't see him again for another eleven years." Meg told her. Christine felt a few tears leak down her face.

"Poor Erik..." She whispered. Meg looked at her.

"I know. I don't remember him very well. Like I said, that was the most vivid memory I have of him. When he showed up, rich, famous and still bitter about the human race my mom was shocked once again-she hadn't forgotten him of course but she had pushed him into a corner of her mind-she thought she would never see him again after he had left. He showed up and said that he wanted to thank her for all she had done in his childhood. He grabbed him by the sleeve of his coat and dragged him into the kitchen, yelling at him for not keeping in touch while he was gone. I swear-she treated him like a little boy even though he towered over her. It was hilarious! After that...my boyfriend came and I had to go out." Meg said. Christine nodded.

"I see...I wonder when he met this mysterious mistress then." She said thoughtfully. "It would have had to have been in the last couple years if you didn't know about her the first time he came to your house..." She reasoned. Meg shook her head.

"I keep telling you Christine-Erik would rather die than be tied down." Meg said. "But if he likes you..." She grinned at her friend, wiggling her eyebrows. Christine couldn't help but laugh, pushing her friend.

"Please Meg! Come on!" She giggled. Meg made a face.

"I was just suggesting it Chris, geez-don't get your knickers in a twist!" She said. Christine could not help but giggle again.

"Knickers in a twist?" She questioned. Meg grinned, blushing slightly.

"Sorry-mom and I spent a little time living in London a few years ago. I guess it still hasn't worn off..." She pondered. Christine shook her head. Did everyone here speak in an accent that wasn't French? Then Meg grew serious again.

"Look Christine, I can tell you like Erik-I see it in your eyes. They light up whenever I mention him. Since I want you happy I will make you a deal-you'll be seeing Erik tonight. If he brings a woman with him to work tonight and her name starts with a C-that isn't yours-I will be proven wrong. If he doesn't-you tell him about your feelings. Got it?"She compromised. Knowing that the chances of this were slim to none she felt confident that she would not be proven wrong-and that Christine would be getting a new boyfriend.

Christine felt this was fair and nodded. She felt Meg was making that deal just to help her and she felt grateful.

"Alright-sounds good. Now-what do you say to us going and looking for some better looking flats?" She asked. Meg nodded and the two of them set off.

**XxX**

Erik was extremely angry. He had somehow been goaded into taking the opera house's lead soprano to the bar with him that night-how, he had no idea. Why? Once again-he wasn't really paying attention to the conversation.

Carlotta had been trying to get Erik for years. She touched him at every possible opportunity and often lied to people and said outrageous things about the two of them. Once he had to publish an article in the newspaper to counteract an ad that she had published saying they were engaged. He had been tempted to kill her and the only thing that had stopped him was the fact that he had promised Nadir no more deaths after...a very unique and critical murder that Erik had performed.

He was just glad that he would be up onstage with Christine tonight and not with her. He swore that if she even talked to Christine that he would make sure that she would never speak again.

He grudgingly picked her up from the opera house and drove her to the club when it was time. He realized that this was really just a babysitting job. The managers didn't want to deal with her so they shoved her on the resident composer.

When they got out he didn't bother going around to get her like he did Christine. She was not worth it.

Carlotta got out of the car and looked at the bar with a critical eye.

"Why do you own trash like thees?" She asked in her thick Spanish accent. "We should not be 'ere it is not worthy of me." Erik gritted his teeth in an attempt not to hurt the woman.

"Because my I am the accompanist for the singer. Let me warn you now mademoiselle- if you dare talk to her for any reason you will find yourself walking back to the opera house and you will never see me again!" Erik warned. He looked around to see if he could see Christine, she was supposed to be arriving the same time he was. When he was looking around he missed the sly glint of mischief in Carlotta's eyes.

_So, 'e likes that leetle brat does 'e? Let us see what she theenks when she finds out that we are engaged! Erik and his money are mine!_ She thought to herself. The only reason she tried to get Erik was for his money of course. She wondered how anyone could like a temperamental freak in a mask.

They walked inside and saw that Christine was already there talking with Remy even though it was still about a half hour till opening. She had phoned her friend and asked if she and Jack could meet her at the bar before it opened. Remy agreed and phoned Jack.

Now they were all sitting around a table conversing. They heard the door's lock click open and looked up. There was only one other person who had a key to the bar that was not there.

They realized that there were two people coming in. This confused them. Then they saw that it was Erik with a woman who had red hair and was fairly large with calculating green eyes.

Christine felt a feeling of dread come over her. Here was Erik-with a woman no less!

They both walked over to the table, Erik with his eyes on Christine the whole time. Carlotta noticed this and glared at the girl.

_So thees must be the leetle slut. Let us see how she feels about our engagement! _She thought.

Christine smiled shyly at Erik-wondering who the woman was. She had her suspicions but she didn't want to jump to conclusions.

Erik cleared his throat to get their attention.

"Very well-you are all here. Christine and I shall be onstage tonight performing-I will be accompanying her. This is my escort for the night I would prefer if you were to treat her as well as possible. If you'll excuse me, I must go get some paperwork from my office. Jack-seat my escort please. Anything she orders bill to me." With that he strode away, leaving Carlotta in the hands of the bewildered staff.

She walked right up to Christine and looked her over.

"My name is Carlotta Giudicelli." She paused for a moment. "Spelled with a C of course..."

Christine was shocked, she felt her face go pale and felt faint. Before the darkness overcame her she heard Reagan yelling at Jack to come help her-then felt someone catch her as she fell. After that everything went black.

**I already have half of the next chapter typed up so I should be updating soon! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Another update! I don't know about you guys but I am proud of myself. And it's actually pretty long too! Anyway, please review!**

**Phantom © Gaston Leroux and Erik design © Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber.**

Chapter 9

Erik was up in his office-he really did have to get the music for which he and Christine would be reading off of that night. He felt a sense of dread in the pit of his stomach. He knew he should not have allowed Carlotta to stay with Christine when they were relatively alone. But he certainly did not want Carlotta or Christine up in his office. He had some pictures of Christine that he had found a few years ago. Ones from newspapers and so on. He had copied some and put them in his office. He was thankful that she hadn't noticed them when she had come in the other day.

He hadn't even been in his office for more than two minutes when he heard a commotion downstairs. He raced down the stairs to see what was going on.

The sight he met when he reached the bottom of the stairs angered and shocked him. The first thing he saw was Carlotta standing there with a satisfied glint in her eye. She almost looked happy. The second thing he saw was Christine lying on one of the couches that was set up for the patrons comfort. At first he was ready to run out and grab her-take her to his home and make sure she was never hurt from those fools that call themselves humans again.

But then he caught sight of her waking. Her blue eyes widened as she looked around. He saw that the girl and the boy were fussing over her and decided she was in good hands-though he would find out what happened!

**XxX**

Christine woke up a bare minimum of four minutes later. She had been so shocked. She knew that Erik had a mistress but she never suspected it would be _her. _Everyone knew Carlotta Giudicelli she was the leading soprano at the opera house and had quite the reputation as a cold, ruthless prima donna. But perhaps she was different with Erik. People do change if they're around people they like. In fact, she had seen the change herself. Whenever Remy was around Christine she was funny, a great friend and a personal therapist for Christine. But once she had picked her up from school and she hardly believed it was the same person. She was dark, brooding and seemed to have an aurora about her that said 'don't come near me'. But as soon as she saw Christine she went back to herself again.

So perhaps Carlotta couldn't be that bad.

She really hoped that she was right.

But for now it was time for the others to know she was alive.

"Remy?" She groaned as she sat up. She put a hand to her head, it was pounding. Her friend rushed over to see what was the matter.

"Thank God Christine! Are you alright? What happened? Do you feel alright?" She asked, slightly panicked.

Christine had to smile at Remy's concern-it was touching.

"I'm fine-sorry about that. I...hit my head last night at my former job. I guess it had more side effects than I thought." She joked weakly. Remy glared her disapproval.

"And you came to work? You idiot! I don't care how much Mr Destler is pressuring you! If he expects you to perform when you're sick he has another thing coming!" She almost yelled. She was clearly worked up.

"Remy? Remy! Reagan Elizabeth Stewart!" Christine shouted, trying to get her friend's attention. Remy stopped her ranting for a moment.

"What?" Her friend asked irritably-she didn't like it when people interrupted.

"I am fine! Don't blame this on Erik. It is not his fault. _Do not go confront him._" Christine emphasized the importance of this. She knew that her friend probably wouldn't have listened. And well...she realized when Erik locked her in the room that he probably had a reputation to be ruthless himself. She didn't want Remy to get hurt on her account.

Her friend glared at her for a moment but seemed to take her advice to heart.

Then Carlotta cleared her throat, trying to catch their attention.

"As touching as theese ees I want to be seated." She said firmly. Remy glared at her and Christine looked at her in frank shock.

Remy looked at her.

"Gee-sorry. My best friend just fainted and might have a concussion or something. Sorry for making you wait" She spat. Carlotta glared at her.

"That ees not my fault." She said back. Remy looked at her with frank dislike.

"Fine-whatever. Go seat yourself. I am going to tell Mr Destler that Christine will not be working tonight." Before anyone could protest she marched up the stairs. Christine's look of panic following her.

Before she could shout after her Carlotta started to speak with her.

"Who do you think you are?" She demanded, glowering at Christine. Christine looked shocked.

'What the hell are you talking about?" She asked, stunned.

"Are you trying to take my fiancée from me?" She asked. Christine felt the room spin again but refused to yield to the emotions she felt stir within her.

"Fiancée? Please-Erik would rather die than be tied down!" She laughed, repeating what Meg had told her.

Carlotta glared at her.

"Then why do you not ask him?" She bluffed. Christine looked at her for a moment, contemplating. Carlotta started to sweat. With that Christine knew the truth.

"You know-I think I will. I'll be right back. Remy might need some help too. I would rather not have to deal with the carcass of my best friend." She said decisively before turning and marching up the stairs, wondering what she was going to do now.

**XxX**

Reagan was furious. She could see how Christine looked at her boss-you would have to be blind not to-and he didn't care a bit about her! Bringing that woman here! With her slanderous tongue. She had hurt Christine and she would pay. Even if it did get her fired. She could always find another job or ask her parents to send her money.

She marched up the stairs-fully determined to give her boss a piece of her mind. Not only did he bring her here he was making Christine work when she was hurt! How dare he? He was unfit to be an employer! She wouldn't allow him to break her friend's heart. She knew that something had happened to her friend-she had no idea what but she knew that it was bad and had ruined her friend's life. She would not allow that happen again!

She looked around at the top of the stairs-and she saw Erik's office.

The door was closed, but she really didn't care. She stomped over and flung the door open-the lights were on.

At first she only had eyes for the man who had hurt her friend. Then, she took a look at his office.

"Mon Dieu." She whispered. Erik swung around, wondering who had caught him. His air was one of a kid whose hand had been caught in the cookie jar.

Remy half walked, half stumbled into his office, her eyes scanning all the pictures of Christine that lined the wall.

Erik was bright red, with anger and embarrassment. Remy turned to him.

"Who are you? And what do you want with Christine? Are you stalking her?" She demanded.

He looked at her. He sighed. He didn't know what to do. She looked like a decent person-and she was Christine's best friend.

He told her everything, from the time Christine was in the foster home to now. Except Christine being raped. He figured that if she wanted that known Christine would have told her.

Remy stared at him.

"You...love her? You really love her?" She asked. He nodded.

"That I do Ms Stewart. But please...don't tell Christine. I do not know how Christine feels about me yet..." He said sadly.

"But Erik she really does l-" She started then she heard someone coming up the stairs. She recognized them as Christine's.

"Quick! Turn the lights off! Come on. Let's get out." She hissed. Erik looked at her, bewildered but did as she said.

Just as they were stepping out of the office Christine arrived at the top of the stairs. She looked furious and pissed.

"Erik!" She fumed. Erik looked taken aback.

"What? What did I do?" He asked, puzzled. She glared at him.

"I hate you! You liar!" She screamed.

"Chris, what are you talking about?" Remy asked, trying to calm down her friend.

"_He_-" She pointed to Erik. "He lied to me. And he failed to mention that he is-oh-engaged!" She spat.

The both looked shocked.

"What on earth are you talking about?" Erik demanded. She glared at him.

"Well-at least your fiancée was kind enough to inform me of your engagement." She said viciously.

"Christine. Erik is not engaged." Remy said, telling her friend the truth.

"But Carlotta..." It was Christine's turn to be confused.

Erik looked alarmingly like he was going to explode. He turned a startling shade of scarlet. He was seeing red.

"I don't care what Nadir said! She is not going to live another day!" He shouted. Christine and Reagan jumped.

"So does that mean that you're not engaged?" Christine asked. Erik managed to calm down and explain.

"She wants my money. She always has." He quickly explained what she wanted and what she had done in the past.

"That b-" Christine started before Erik interrupted.

"Language." He said mildly. Then seemed to remember what they were doing.

They marched downstairs- Erik more furious then he had ever been in his life.

Carlotta looked up from the drink that Jack had brought her. She saw how angry Erik was and turned pale-for the first time in her life she was scared.

"Erik-I can explain..." She started but was cut off by Erik's angry gesture.

"You don't need to. You lied to Ms Daae here-which in my book is inexcusable-you are trying to get my money by trying to seduce me-which will never work-and on top of it all you insulted my bar. If you don't leave in less than a minute you leave without your tongue." He said. Carlotta was terrified but tried to marshal a defence.

"Come on Erik-you don't really mean that." She said sweetly, fluttering her eyelashes. Christine and Remy were about to start laughing uncontrollably at the way she looked.

Erik growled at her-literally growled!

"You convening witch! Get out of my sight! Do not doubt me! And from this moment on you are no longer welcome in _my _opera house!" He hissed.

This time she was outraged.

"What do you mean? Do I need to remind you who I am? I-" She started to yell. Then Erik finally erupted.

"OUT! GET OUT! AND NEVER LET ME SEE YOU AGAIN!" He raged. She backed out slowly, glowering at all of them. Erik picked up one of the steak knives from the waiter's station and she made a dash for it-who knew that one could run so fast in heels?

He examined the knife for a moment and then set it down with disgust.

"Wasn't even a good knife...though I suppose it would have done the job." He muttered thoughtfully.

He turned and looked at the two women who were standing side-by-side. They were pale but looking at him with honest astonishment-and a little awe.

"Erik-was it really necessary to threaten her with the knife?" Christine asked after a moment.

He looked surprised for a moment then seemed to think about it. He shrugged.

"Perhaps not-but it was most effective was it not?" He wondered. Christine shook her head in disbelief.

"Well...that was scary." She whispered to Remy. Remy nodded her head in agreement.

"I'll say!" She said, pretending to shudder. They both looked at each other and burst out laughing.

Erik stared at them, alarmed. He clearly thought they were insane.

"Sorry, that was defiantly interesting Erik. Really-I mean, why did you bring her in the first place if you seem to hate her so much?" Christine questioned.

"I got stuck on babysitting duty." Erik replied bitterly, then seemed to light up.

"You know-this was a good thing. Though I may have to hire a new soprano she sounded like a toad anyway." He said brightly.

Christine and Remy just shook their heads at his attitude. How could he go from looking like he was going to murder someone to being happy?

"I don't think I'm quite ready for the stage yet Erik-I'll do it tomorrow..." Christine compromised, but Remy interrupted.

"She doesn't mean that sir! You should probably start warming up now. The bar opens in fifteen minutes." She said, pushing her friend towards the stage. Christine stared at Remy as if she really were insane. She had never done anything like _that _before. Usually if Christine said something Remy would back her up.

Before she knew what was happening Erik had dragged her up onto the stage and had started playing scales. Christine had to hurry to catch up. Then they worked on a few songs. After a while she let the music wash over her as she had when she was younger.

When she finally came to her senses she had quite the audience. There must have been fifty or sixty people sitting there, listening her.

When she saw them she immediately froze in panic. What was she doing? But then she looked at Erik, who was slightly hidden in the shadows, still playing the piano.

The song ended and she realized that it was almost closing time. Time to quit. She took her bow, then looked over so that she could tell Erik to come up on stage. But he had disappeared somehow. She couldn't see him anywhere.

It took her a minute to get off the stage. Immediately all the male customers swarmed around her, trying to get her attention. She began to panic.

"Erik? Erik!" She cried, trying to find him. Suddenly she felt his presence.

"It is alright little one. I am here. Whenever you call my name I shall answer. There is nowhere where I will not be able to hear you." He promised as she clung to his arm. He was scared stiff as well-in this crowd of people but he didn't show it like Christine did.

He glared at all of them, trying to convey that they needed to leave. All but a few took this warning seriously and the crowd eventually dispersed.

Christine looked up at Erik and smiled thankfully.

"Thanks-after last night I don't really feel like being around any strange men." She admitted sheepishly.

_Good-then you will be all mine. _Erik thoughts whispered to him.

"It is understandable. No one could hold it against you." He said calmly, trying to sooth her. She smiled up at him.

"Thank you Erik....you're my own hero." She whispered into his ear.

He would have been lying if he had said that he had been happier in his life. When she said that his heart beat faster and he practically glowed.

"It was nothing Christine." He answered modestly, turning red from embarrassment.

She was about to open her mouth and speak when Erik abruptly changed the subject.

"So-did you and Little Giry have a chance to go apartment hunting?" He asked. Christine scrambled to catch up with this new change of subject.

"Umm, yeah. We saw a few that we liked. They were pretty well kept-in a good area of town but still close enough to the bar that it's not too far to commute." She said, still slightly confused. He sighed.

"Good, good. Would you mind if I came and took a look at them? I mean-I need to make sure that it's close enough." He requested. She looked shocked but shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't mind. I don't think Meg would either. Are you busy tomorrow? Since we've narrowed it down Meg wants to get out of the dump we call a place to live ASAP." She told him. He appeared to think about it for a moment.

"I think tomorrow will be a good time to go. What time?" He asked.

"Um…I think we should go before work. Then we can go straight from there to here. It saves commute time." She reasoned. Erik eagerly agreed.

"Sounds like a plan. Maybe…." He hesitantly spoke. "Maybe we could go to lunch before that?" Christine lit up like the fourth of July.

"Sure! I would love to! We could just go by ourselves to the apartment. Meg's already seen them." She practically begged. Erik nodded enthusiastically.

"Sounds good! What time should I pick you up for lunch?" He asked.

"Does 12:30 sound good to you?"

He nodded and opened his mouth to say something when Christine was spun around and pulled into a bone-crushing hug.

"Christine!" Raoul greeted her. She was in a state of shock. To be truthful she had completely forgotten about Raoul.

"Raoul! Hey! What's up?" She asked, actually glad to see him. To her he was still her childhood sweetheart and best friend. The one that had ran into the sea to get her scarf on vacation.

"I came last night but you weren't here. You were amazing tonight. Remember when your father used to play the violin for us and our picnics in the attic?" He asked, overjoyed that she seemed happier to see her now than she did the other day.

"How could I forget? Since we weren't allowed to cook we had our picnics of chocolates and other sweets! Remember the first time you got a cavity from that? I had thought you were dying the way you howled in the dentist! I was terrified after that and always brushed my teeth at least twice after our picnics!" She laughed.

"Hey! It hurt you know! I was what…eight or nine at the time? That's traumatizing for a kid you know!" He defended himself. They both broke into peals of laughter. It felt good to have her friend back Christine decided.

She had completely forgotten that anyone else was even near them until Erik cleared his throat.

"Christine, would you care to introduce your…_friend_?" He asked, somewhat viciously. Christine and Raoul didn't notice his tone though. They were quite happy.

"Oh-I'm sorry Erik. This is Raoul de Chagny. Raoul, this is Erik Destler. Raoul and I were sweethearts in New York." She informed Erik. Raoul gave her a disbelieving look.

"Sweethearts? Please Christine! I was in love with you!" He informed her. She gaped at him. They were so absorbed in each other that they didn't hear Erik growling at the young man.

_No deaths Erik…no more deaths. He is just a boy and doesn't realize what he is saying. _He had to remind himself.

"Are you serious Raoul? We were like…13? 14?" She demanded. He shrugged.

"To tell the truth, that's why I came again. There has been no other besides you Chris." He admitted.

Christine was about to reply when Erik interrupted.

"As touching as this is I would appreciate if you left for tonight Monsieur de Chagny. We will be closing soon." He said scathingly. Raoul shrugged.

"Alright. Erm- I'm staying at the hotel on Rue Scribe at the moment. I'm room number 217." He shouted as he left.

Erik looked at Christine.

"Okay-care to explain who exactly that was?" He asked. She looked at him.

"My father used to give him violin lessons before he died. We met when we were taking a vacation by the sea. My favourite scarf got blown out deep and I couldn't swim that far. So Raoul-being the knight in shining armour he is decided he would get it for me. We were sweet on each other for a while and then when we were thirteen he asked me out. Our relationship went on until…until my father died. After that I was transferred into foster care and we never saw each other again until two nights ago." She told him. He nodded, enraged but in control of himself enough not to show it.

"Raoul…another name from The Phantom of the Opera is it not?" He asked, suddenly remembering.

And that Christine had run off with that Raoul…not bothering to stay with Erik….

Christine giggled and looked at him.

"Yeah. We actually saw the play together. His father got my dad, Raoul and me tickets. So we all went together. We had a blast! After it turned out dad knew some people from the orchestra so we got to go backstage and Raoul was being silly and tried on the costumes for stage Raoul. I told him to keep dreaming when he asked if he could kiss me. Then he said seriously that he would be my Raoul someday and take me away from my Phantom." She laughed. "I told him not to bother. If it were up to me I would have gone with the Phantom. After that we got to meet the actors and stuff. It was fun."

Erik looked slightly shocked.

"You would have gone with the Phantom? Why? In the book he was more than slightly insane, deformed and a murderer!"He said. She shrugged.

"He was lonely. If he had been loved from the beginning he wouldn't have turned out like that. And as for the deformity-well, why should it matter? I understand how bad it was-and to tell the truth I was terrified of it at the time. But I've had time to think of it now. I mean, if he loved Christine and she loved him his face would have never mattered." She declared.

Erik looked away.

"If you really were in that situation you would never think that." He whispered.

"Excuse me? I'm afraid I didn't hear what you said." Christine informed him curiously.

He turned his back on her.

"I said nothing. Actually…I just remembered-I have other obligations for lunch tomorrow. So perhaps we could go another time." He said, trying to force away the nasty feeling in his stomach.

Christine felt her throat close, she felt like crying she was so disappointed.

"O-okay. No problem." She said shakily.

_Of course. Even if Carlotta wasn't his lady there is still one out there. I forgot about that. Silly me. And here I was thinking that he actually liked me! _She thought bitterly.

Erik nodded and then turned and walked out of the bar. Christine, knowing that her only ride home was through Remy went to the bar and fixed herself something to drink.

Five glasses later she still was thinking about stuff that was painful.

Remy noticed that her friend was drinking way too much but pretty much thought _hey-she's a big girl she can do whatever she wants. If she wants to drink herself silly then let her. She won't be able to blame anyone else but herself tomorrow. _

So she let her friend drink in peace. The bar shut down twenty minutes later and they packed up and went home. When they left you could say that Christine was truly foxed. She had drank so much she could hardly stand and Remy was suddenly thankful that her friend was generally a cheerful person. She wondered what had happened tonight. She had seen her talking and laughing with another man while Erik watched. He had not looked happy and she knew why. He truly loved her. It amazed her that the masked man could feel that much passion for someone let alone her best friend. But she wasn't just going to give Christine up just like that! Oh no, that would be too easy for Erik! And in her experience men usually only wanted one thing. After that they discarded the women and they were heartbroken. She would not allow that to happen! Never did she wish her friend hurt like that!

She glanced over at her foxed friend who was in the front seat.

"Hey, Chris-who was that man that you were talking with earlier?" She asked, hoping her friend wasn't so drunk that she couldn't answer.

"Oh, him um…I think he is a friend…juust a friend…" Christine slurred. Remy just shook her head at the way Christine was acting, resolving to ask her when she was sober.

**XxX**

Christine woke up the next morning cursing herself, Remy and most of all Erik. In her eyes he was the one that caused her to drink so much.

She tried to move but her head pounded so much that she gave up on that completely. Her stomach was rolling but she found that if she didn't move it didn't make her feel like she wanted to vomit.

But eventually nature called. She tried to get up and stumbled, making a loud crash.

"Christine? Are you alright? Christine?" Came Meg's voice from behind the door. Christine groaned, her head pounding double now.

"Some help please Meg? I think I am experiencing my first hangover."Christine moaned. Meg laughed and Christine help herself getting angrier.

"Are you going to help or what?" She demanded. Meg sighed and opened the door.

"Fine…not like I haven't done this before." She muttered, helping Christine into the bathroom, then running out to get some aspirin for her. Christine was eternally grateful to Meg when she saw the little bottle in her hand.

The rest of the day was pretty much spent making sure that Christine was comfortable in the bathroom. Meg phoned into work for her and said that she was indisposed and could not come that night. Jack was surprised but did not ask any questions.

"So…Chris, care to tell why you decided to get drunk last night?" Meg asked eventually, about ten minutes after she called Jack, it still had been twenty minutes till opening but Christine had insisted on it.

"Oh-I was just a little mad something that happened." She said evasively. But Meg would not give up that easily.

"Don't try that with me! Now-what really happened?" She insisted. Christine sighed.

"I had an old…friend…come by and visit yesterday." She admitted. Meg looked at her strangely.

"So-shouldn't you be happy? Or did you two get smashed together?" She inquired.

"Oh-I was so happy to see him! He used to be my boyfriend you know. Before my father died. After I was put in foster care we never saw each other again until last night really." She reflected. Meg froze, knowing for certain that Erik must feel at least _some _attraction towards Christine. And he always got what he wanted.

This frightened her. What would he do to this man when he found out about them? She knew that Erik could be violent-her mother had told her herself! But would he go as far as murder if he really liked Christine that much…?

She certainly hoped not!

"Meg…I don't know what to do. I'm so confused! I'm attracted to Erik-a harmless crush perhaps-but on the other hand I still feel something for Raoul! He was my first-and so far last-boyfriend. Oh- J'ai tres bête!" She cried, reverting back to French in her confusion. Though she was bred on English she much preferred the French language. She had never heard anything so romantic and sensual.

Meg punched her in the arm.

"Listen to me Christine, you are not stupid! Far from! And-are you listening? Listen! You may be confused but remember this-no matter what you choose for you, not fir anyone else! Got it!" She demanded jerking her friend's tearstained face to meet hers.

Christine nodded, wallowing in self pity and anger.

"Alright Meg. I'm sorry. I just…Raoul has always been so sweet! And then, when I had to leave him I was heartbroken. But now that Erik is still here…"She was so confused she didn't know what to make of it.

Now it was at least twenty minutes after the bar opened.

"It's okay Chris-" Meg started but then heard a loud crash come from the front door. Both of them jumped up-Christine's stomach groaning in protest.

Suddenly Erik came dashing into the room. He looked furious and concerned. He saw the two of them, Christine looking almost green.

At that sight almost all rational thought left his mind. He rushed over to her and picked her up. Her stomach almost gave out at that point. She gasped, managing to gag but thankfully not upchuck on Erik's suit. That would not have looked good for her.

He glared at Meg while he held Christine.

"What did you do to her?" He asked violently. Meg glowered back at him.

"Nothing-it's you who did something idiot!" She shot out. Suddenly he was confused.

"What did I do?" He asked, puzzled. Christine looked back and forth between the two of them as if watching a tennis match. Feeling slightly irked that they were talking about her as though she weren't even there.

"Did you know that Christine got smashed last night?" Meg asked. He frowned, confused.

"Drunk, foxed, intoxicated." Meg clarified. Erik looked at Christine in shock. She at least had the grace to look slightly ashamed.

"What? Why would you let her do that?" He almost shouted. Before Meg could answer Christine pulled his collar and whispered into his ear.

"She wasn't there Erik-don't blame her…it was after you left."

He stared at her.

"You got drunk after I left the bar? Why?" He asked shocked. He never expected Christine to get drunk. It was too much against her character.

"Erm, never mind about that." Christine muttered. Meg shot her a look and glared at Erik.

"Think about it buddy! Come on! Are all men this stupid?" She asked angrily. Erik wasn't sure to be offended or angry. He decided to go for offended.

"What on earth do you mean?" He inquired, exasperated. Meg sighed in annoyance.

"Men! I won't tell you anything! Draw your own conclusions. And if you really are that stupid-don't you dare come near Christine-got it? So put her down and leave!" With that she stalked out of the room before she said anything she would regret.

Erik stared down at Christine who was blushing crimson and was looking like she was thinking of many enjoyable ways to murder Meg.

"Sorry about that…Meg gets a little emotional at times." She said apologetically.

"I'll say. And she sure was mad at me!" He muttered. Christine's face softened a bit.

"Erik…please take what Meg said to heart. Put me down and leave." She said quietly. He turned pale.

"W-what?" He stammered. He couldn't do it! He couldn't!

"Please Erik…just leave. I can take a job at another bar if you would like. I'm sure that going back to waitressing wouldn't be that bad…but please respect my wishes." She could feel tears sting at the back of her eyes but she refused to cry in front of him. It was not worth it. If she had learned anything since the accident it was that life goes on even if it feels like the world has stopped.

"I…I can't do that Christine please-don't make me do this!" He begged. Her nausea forgotten for the moment Christine scrambled out of Erik's arms.

She had her hands on her hips and faced Erik.

"And why not Erik? Why do this? You have a mistress who you clearly love. Go back to her, forget about me okay? You don't deserve to have baggage like mine. Go back to your mansion; lead a life that is good, prosperous and happy. It is the least of what you deserve. You have had enough pain in your life already. You don't need, nor probably want, mine as well." With that she turned to leave. He reached out and grabbed her by her shirt.

He spun her back into him, before she could react he was kissing her.

It was not a chaste kiss by any means. There was too much pent up emotion between them for that. Too many words unspoken and too many emotions hidden.

Christine was the one who pulled back, she couldn't breathe. She was shocked; she could feel Erik's passion in that kiss. And it both excited and scared her.

Erik stared at Christine; she was gorgeous in his eyes. Her lips were swollen from the kiss and she was panting.

They stared at each other in shock for a few moments. Finally Erik spoke.

"Well…this complicates things…"


	10. Chapter 10

**I'm getting good aren't I? Hmm, it will end for a bit though. I leave tomorrow for home. I start school on the 31st. Anyway-I have to admit, this is one of the favorite chapters I've written. Enjoy!**

Chapter 10

At first Christine seemed to be in shock. Then she grew angry. How dare he!? He already had a mistress! Why was he wasting his time wreaking havoc on her emotions?

"How dare you? You jerk! I told you to leave! How dare you use me to cheat on your mistress!" She hissed. She tried to push him away from her with no avail, he was too strong.

"Christine? Christine! Listen to me! I have something to tell you!" He roared. She paused for a moment, shocked. She had never heard him speak that way to her.

From the crack in the door Meg smiled and turned to leave, she had hoped that things would turn out like that. Now she knew for sure what the masked man felt for Christine.

"Christine, look at me. I want to show-and tell you something okay? But you have to trust me. I promise that I will never hurt you-that is the last thing I could ever want you know..." Erik said in a calmer voice. Christine looked at him, tears in her eyes.

"Alright Erik..alright. I am tired of not knowing anything I need to hear what you have to say." She said faintly. He nodded.

"Now-I would prefer if we could handle this in my home...it would be simpler and much more comfortable for me." He requested hesitantly. Christine nodded and allowed him to lead her out to his car.

**XxX**

The car ride was short but torture for both of them. Neither one exactly sure what to say to the next. Both were on edge the whole time. Christine watched Paris fly by outside of the window. She had always loved the city, she had never seen anything like it. The first thing she did when she got here was see the Eiffel Tower and the Academy de Musique. The Paris Opera house of course!

And then she faced harsh reality as she was degraded to the worst part of Paris, the slums. Degrading herself as a whore on the streets. Until Erik came. He was truly a hero in her eyes.

Erik on the other hand wasn't thinking about Paris. As much as he loved the city he had grown used to it. And there was something more pressing on his mind.

He was going to unmask himself in front of Christine.

He had no other choice really. She had almost driven him to insanity with the boy. She said that they were only friends. But the boy had made it quite clear that he wanted...more.

He was terrified of course. He would explain that he had no mistress as she thought. He was confused to where she got that idea from. But it would soon be remedied.

He knew that she would probably run from him when she saw his face. Everyone except Nadir had. Even Madame Giry barely had a glimpse of it. And that was back when it wasn't as bad as it was now.

But he had to show her if he was going to leave her he would rather have her leave because of his face then a misunderstanding.

Finally he pulled himself out of his thoughts. They were here.

**XxX**

Christine got out of the car and Erik offered his elbow. She refused it and looked straight ahead. He sighed and quietly led her into the house.

Christine noticed that all the servants were absent. She was so curious she decided to ask Erik about it.

"Erik-where are your servants?" She asked. He looked at her sharply, overjoyed that she was talking to him.

"They find the best course of action not to appear when I am around. I am sure that they are all in different parts of the house doing their duties trying to avoid me." He chuckled as he took her coat.

She frowned.

"Why is that? Why would they avoid you?" She wondered. His look turned from one of amusement to one of annoyance and something different...pain.

"Some of them...spoke out of place. More than once I may add. Even now I can hear them when they think I can't. I do admit...some of them I may have been overly harsh with." He said bitterly. Christine, for her part was filled with shock. Why did they talk about him? He was one of the kindest, noblest men she had ever met.

He saw the look on her face and decided to clarify.

"They're just voicing what everyone thinks my dear. Repulsion, disgust, horror and most of all loathing." He informed her.

Christine was didn't have to answer by Erik's next words.

"We have many options...could I show you to my bedroom and proceed from there?" He asked hesitantly. He saw the shock and fear flash through her eyes.

"Not to do that! Never would I defile you Christine! Not without your permission! No...I don't have ears and eyes in my bedroom as I do in the rest of the house. I have made sure of _that_." He reassured her. She visibly relaxed.

"Okay...I-I don't mind." She replied. He nodded in approval.

"Thank you." He said sincerely. The led her up to the second floor.

They walked down the hall that she had not taken before. It looked identical to the other, except for the pattern of it's doors.

Finally, they reached the end of the hall. Christine looked around, confused. They had reached the end yet he had approached no door.

He smiled at her.

"No one but myself and Nadir knows where my room is. With good reason. You see, like I said the servants love to gossip. And a few have-ah reported me to the police for no reason. So the police sent over an officer to join my staff and spy on me. They have no idea that I know of course...I am very discreet but whenever I needed solitude I would come here." He explained. Christine could only nod, still wondering where on earth his room was.

His toe nudged the plate underneath the carpet. Unless you knew exactly where it was you would have never been able to access it. Nadir had given him the idea and helped install it when Erik built the place a few years ago.

The wall swung open and Erik escorted Christine into his room.

It was nice by his standards. Which meant it was amazing by Christine's point of view.

Instead of the black walls that she thought he would have they were a deep, rich maroon. The carpet was a midnight blue that was soft and fuzzy, her bare feet sunk into it. The wall across from them was dominated by a massive window that overlooked the beautiful garden, creating a stunning panoramic view. The drapes that could cover the window were black, to block out any sunlight during the day.

The bed was fairly large with silk sheets. It was still unmade from last night when Erik had evidently been sleeping restlessly or not sleeping at all. The black sheets were twisted and tangled; the maroon comforter was shoved at the end of the bed. Christine felt nauseous thinking about what could've happened last night to make the bed like that.

She adverted her eyes to try and stop the thoughts. On the other side of the room there was a sort of alcove that held the washroom and two other doors to his closets.

She gawked at the room in whole but was still hurt and angry by the state of the bed.

"Is this what you wanted to show me Erik? _That_?" She asked angrily, jabbing a finger at the bed.

He looked at her, bewildered.

"Wha-" He started to ask but then realized what she thought happened. Realization dawned on his face.

"I did _not _sleep with anyone last night Christine! I have never slept with anyone! Sit down!" He growled, pointing to the bed.

She looked at him incredulously but sat obediently.

"Now-I do not have a mistress. Or a lady friend or anything else you want to call them. I am a bachelor Christine. Always have been to tell the truth." He admitted. Christine scowled at him.

"Then why tell me you had a lady?" She demanded. He had the grace to look slightly sheepish.

"I might have been counting you at the time..." He murmured. She stared at him.

"Why on earth were you counting me?" She asked.

"You don't want to know." He sighed. She shrugged in indifference.

"You brought me here to tell me this? You could've done this at my place you know." She said.

He hesitated for a moment then plunged ahead.

"Christine, you have become very...special to me. And I need to show you something we go any further in knowing each other. I need to show you what is under my mask." He said slowly.

Christine looked at him, astonished.

"A-are you sure Erik?" She asked shakily. He nodded.

"Absolutely. It's time you learned my 'dirty little secret'." He said, terrified. He closed his eyes and slowly took off the mask.

**XxX**

Christine looked at his face for a moment, the suddenly she _remembered_.

She had known him before. Not as a man, as a teenager really. She remembered now.

_She had just dealt with the loss of her father and her innocence. She was in her first foster home. She had just stepped in the door, the man and woman of the house were talking to her. She wasn't really paying any attention. Her eyes scanned the room. Suddenly she saw pinpricks of light coming from the darkened stairwell. She realized that they were a pair of eyes. Before she could examine them too closely they disappeared. They later told her that she would be sharing the house with not only them but another young man named Erik. She shrugged it off. She was terrified of men at that time, and too caught up in her own grief for anything else. _

_She rarely saw him, except at supper and on the way home from school. They attended the same high school. Though Erik rarely showed up for his classes, preferring to vanish to the music room._

_He was nothing but kind to her when she did see him. She clearly remembered that time on the stairs and felt ashamed by it. She realized that if he had not caught her that she could have been seriously injured._

_The last night he was there, the last night he was in the house before he moved she went to thank him and apologize for her behaviour. His door was still open a crack. Obviously he had not meant for this to happen._

_She peaked inside, prepared to knock out of courtesy. But her fist was frozen where it was when she looked inside._

_Erik had his mask off._

_She stood, horrified. She could barely move, examining the appalling sight that met her eyes._

_When she was finally able to move she ran back to her room._

_The next day she was noticeably absent from his goodbyes. She had lied to man and woman. She said that she wasn't feeling so great and didn't feel like saying good bye. She had said that she wasn't feeling well and just wanted to sleep. The parents were confused, but thankfully accepted this excuse._

_She couldn't see him after seeing his face. She just couldn't. Then he left, and she figured that she would never see him again._

_It took weeks to get him out of her mind and years to wipe all traces of him completely. By the time she met him again Erik was nothing to her. Not even a faded memory. _

"Erik." She managed to choke out, examining his face again. It had more scars on it this time. And there was something else different about it, made it look more grotesque for some reason. She couldn't put her finger on it though.

"Christine?" He questioned, seeing something in her eyes.

"I remember...the foster home. My first one." She whispered. He was shocked-she remembered!

"Christine...why do you remember now?" He asked softly, forgetting his unmasked face for the moment.

"Erik...I'm sorry! I didn't mean to see!" Christine sobbed. He was confused now.

"What do you mean, you didn't mean to see?" He wondered.

"T-the night before...I saw...I didn't mean to! Didn't know...your door was open....wanted to thank you..." She said incoherently. Suddenly Erik got it. The night before he left she went to go into his room, his door had been open a crack and he didn't have his mask on.

It was fair to say he was furious. But he tried to push it down.

"So that is why you forgot me. I knew there must have been some reason..." He said sadly. She looked at his face again.

"Erik-wh-what happened? Your face...it's different now..m-more scarred and s-something else." Christine observed, trying to stop crying.

He realized what she meant and laughed bitterly.

"Ah yes...that. You see Christine, I had my face as much as anyone else. Even more if it were possible. When I realized exactly how wealthy I was I decided that was the first thing I wanted fixed. So I got skin grafts." He said.

She gaped at him.

"Skin grafts...? Oh Erik! What happened? Di d your body reject them?" She asked. He shook his head

"No. They took the skin from my legs and various other parts of my body and put them on face. The doctors were pleased that two days after the procedure my body was accepting the grafts. They discharged me a few days later. I was ecstatic- I was going to be a normal person! One that no one would scorn or hate. Fate, it seems did not shine on me. The people at the hospital forgot to give me the antibiotics to prevent any infection. My face...it got infected. I'll spare you the details of the horror of what my face looked like at that time. Let us just say it was more black and green then regular color. They had to remove the skin that they had grafted on. After that I couldn't do anything for my face." He said sullenly. Christine gasped.

"Poor Erik..." She whispered, touching the warped side of his face. Her fingers ran lightly over every scar and mutilation. He shuddered, it felt too good. No one had ever touched that side of his face before. He even tried to avoid it himself. It only served reminded him about how inadequate he was compared to the human race.

"Don't Christine...I can't stand you acting like this when I know that you're just going to leave me." He whimpered. Christine shook her head.

"I'm not going to leave Erik...why would you think that?" She asked with a frown.

He looked at her with a deep pain.

"Everyone does Christine. No one stays you know. Only Nadir. And he does it out of obligation. Or so I presume." He said sadly.

Christine shook her head.

"I'm not going to leave Erik. I don't care about what your face looks like. You're a good man and that's all that counts." She said softly. He looked at her with wide eyes.

"Christine...thank you." He whispered. She shrugged.

"I only say what I mean Erik." She replied. He put the mask back on he and he reverted to the regal figure that she was used to.

"Christine...I-I was wondering...would you like to go to supper with me?" He asked, terrified.

Christine lit up.

"I would love to Erik." She said joyfully. He smiled, the first one in a while.

"Thank you Christine. You have no idea how much this means to me...you have become quite special to me." He said. She looked at him.

"You have too you know, become quite special to me." She replied. He stiffened.

"What?" He asked incredulously. She looked down, slightly embarrassed.

"Are you going deaf old man?" She teased gently. Erik just stood there, in a state of shock.

"But Christine...how could you like a monster like me?" He asked. She glared at him.

"Do not ever say you are a monster Erik! You are not! Your face doesn't matter one bit! It's not your fault!" She said. He shook his head.

"How can you say that Christine? My mother-she hated me. My own mother! What am I supposed to believe? And the stares and whispers Christine..." He said brokenly. Suddenly Christine felt a deep, intense anger towards Madeline. How dare she treat her only son like this? Christine would have never done that! It was she who did not deserve to be called human!

"Erik. What your mother did to you was inexcusable. I agree, marching around with a mask on your face isn't the best way to seem 'normal'. But in my opinion normal is overrated. Erik, I have no idea what trials you have had in your life. Nor do I think I could begin to imagine what they were and how they would affect you. But I'm here now Erik...and I will always be here, no matter what you think. As long as you are here for me." She said gently. Erik looked at her with a look of pure gratefulness. She felt her heart melt at this look. What had been done to this man?

"Christine. You have no idea what I am. What if I told you I am a murderer?" He asked sadly, knowing that with her morals that Christine would never forgive him.

Christine paled.

"Erik-what? You-you've killed people?" She asked, shaking. He nodded, a faraway look in his eye.

"Yes-I have Christine. I am not proud of it either. The first time I was 16-that was how I met Nadir you know. Anyway, I had a gang attack me. I killed quite a few of them. That was when they were trying to kill me. Would you like the see a scar I have from that?" Without waiting for an answer he pulled up his shirt. From the base of his ribs to just above his hip ran a jagged, purple line. It looked like someone had crudely cut into him-a bad surgery perhaps.

Christine gasped and traced the scar with a finger.

"My God Erik...why?" She asked. He shrugged, lowering his shirt.

"My mask. They thought I was someone who I wasn't." He stated matter-a-factly. He didn't want to relive that day.

"Is that the only time...?" Christine asked hopefully. But again, he shook his head.

"There had been more than that Christine. Do not deceive yourself. I have...I have killed for various reasons. I regret it of course. But it does not play on my conscious Christine. The men I have killed-I have never killed a woman! The men who I have killed have thoroughly deserved it. They have are deplorable disgraces that I loath to call humans in even the slightest sense of the term. They, like me are truly monsters. Although a few of them put up a good fight most of them are corporate good for nothings that could not fight back." He confided in her, fighting the urge to laugh. Then he sobered. He unbuttoned his shirt and shed it, revealing his body to Christine. Normally she would have felt embarrassed but under the circumstances she really couldn't think to do so.

She couldn't even gasp. The whole of Erik's back was scarred tissue. There were more scars than regular skin. And most of his front had criss-crossing scars. Though not as bad as the back.

Christine stumbled and placed a hand against his chest, wondering how on earth he had survived all these. She felt the reassurance of his heartbeat underneath her fingertips. She sighed in relief.

"How did all these happen Erik?" She asked softly. He looked down at himself.

"Most of the ones on my back are from mother. None of the ones on the front are though. She believed that if she stayed strictly to the back no one would notice and she wouldn't be able to kill me with them. The ones on the front, side, and even the few on my shoulders are from various causes. Actually-there is only one that is here by accident." He pointed to one on his stomach.

"I fell down the stairs at one of my foster homes. Landed on something...I don't remember exactly what it was. I had to get 15 stitches from it." He admitted sheepishly.

She looked up at him sharply.

"I forgive you..." She murmured. He stood there for a moment, then had to sit down.

'What?" He whispered. She looked at him.

"You said that the people you murdered, that they deserved it. I believe you. I don't like it that you've murdered someone. But if there was no choice..." She said sadly. He gladly refrained from telling her about that...man...who had tried to hurt her the other night.

Suddenly he stood up, deep in thought.

"Christine...I need to know what we are at the moment. Lovers? A couple? Friends? Two ships passing each other? Fiancées?' He asked desperately. He knew that he had just given her the power to hurt him immensely-most likely the most hurt he could ever feel. But that was really nothing new with Christine. Not anymore anyway. It might frighten him but he had no other choice really.

Christine should have been shocked, or at least mildly surprised at the question. But she was not, truth be told she was thinking along the same lines.

"What do you want to be Erik?" She asked, deflecting the question. He realized her strategy though. He wasn't completely blind when it came to Christine.

"Christine, I asked you first. Tell me." He demanded, suddenly nervous. Surely this could not be a good sign!

Damn his lack of experience with women!

Christine hesitated for a moment.

"I was hoping we could be the second option." She whispered, looking down. She blushed crimson, suddenly wishing she had been able to tell him that before.

Erik for his part was fairly stunned.

"Forgive me my dear...but I believe I just heard you say you wanted to be a couple." He said calmly, too shocked by the emotional tone of the day for anything else.

Christine muttered something unintelligibly.

"Excuse me my dear-I can't hear you." He informed her. She turned an even brighter scarlet.

"I said that you heard me correctly." She admitted.

Erik couldn't speak.

"B-but I'm deformed!" He stammered.

"Been there." She reminded him.

"I-I'm a m-murderer!" He stuttered.

"I forgive you." She reassured him.

"Why?" He asked her curiously. She looked up and shrugged.

"Really Erik-you have saved me, several times over. You are a good person. No matter what others say I know this. Why should I judge you by society's standards when I can judge you by my own?" She wondered.

"What about the boy?" Erik had to know. Christine snorted.

"Raoul? Are you kidding me? You think I would want another relationship with him?" She asked but then seemed to think about it.

"I do love Raoul, but not in the way you imagine. He's like a brother to me. Even when we were dating I never felt like anything was _there _when we kissed. There was no spark, flame or anything. That...that has only happened with you." She admitted.

"So you will not run off with him?"

She looked at him indignantly.

"Of course not? What do you take me for?" She demanded. He raised his hands in a gesture of self defence.

"That was not what I was implying my dear...I apologize. You have to keep in mind that I have had too many people leave me in my life." He said desperately. She calmed down at that.

"I'm sorry Erik-I have forgotten how dark your life has been." She apologized.

"And I how young you are." He sighed.

Christine was starting to feel how tense the atmosphere really was and decided to lighten it.

"You said something about dinner?" She prodded. He perked up.

"Oh-yes! Of course!" He said, looking at the clock. "Do you have any particular preference in what you eat?" He asked. She shook her head.

"I'll eat almost anything. You learn real fast to eat whatever when you're poor." She admitted. Erik had to laugh.

"I know that better than you think." He chuckled. She shrugged.

"So Romeo-where to today?" She inquired. He seemed to think about it.

"There is a nice pasta place a few blocks from here, perhaps we could go there?" He requested. She shrugged.

"Whatever you like. After all-you're going to be the one paying." She said, a sly glint in her eye.

"What makes you think that my dear?" Erik joked.

Christine put on a horrified face.

"Why monsieur! Are you implying that you will not be a gentleman this evening?" She asked in mock horror.

He pretended to think about it.

"Why yes mademoiselle-I believe that is exactly what I am saying." He teased.

"Well Erik-that's too bad. In our rush to come here I forgot my purse." She chuckled. Erik sighed in mock resignation.

"Alright mademoiselle. I suppose that I shall have to pay this once." He said. Christine stuck her tongue out at him and laughed.

"You are such a goof!" She giggled. Erik stood there, surprised. He had been called a lot of things in his life, monster, murder, freak. But he had never been called a goof. It sounded...nice.

He wondered if it was too soon to tell her that he loved her. He spied her looking through his closet, trying to see if he had anything besides tuxedos and silk shirts.

_Definatly too soon_.

**Hmm, there we go. Something has been resolved. What? I have no idea. Anyway-just wanted to say-the skin grafts idea was actually based off a real experiance. Well-a mix of two actually. My grandfather had to get skin grafts on his face before he died (cancer) and my aunt's cousin's husband had his fingers cut off by a lawnmower and had to get skin grafts. They forgot to give him the antibiotics. And well...it looked like Erik described it. Rotted the skin apparently. I learned that at the dinner table. Not the best place to hear about that. Didn't feel like eating my steak after that...**


	11. Chapter 11

**I got home early so I got to update! Well...sleep first then update. The drive from Ontario to here is 20 hours. My dad seems to hate hotels so we didn't stop. I've been busy unpacking and such since then. And I start school on Monday...it's been a hectic week for sure! Anyway-enjoy!**

**POTO (c) Gaston Leroux Erik design belongs to ALW.  
**

Chapter 11

When they were about to leave for the pasta house Christine started to panic that she was underdressed (she was wearing jeans and a black shirt) but Erik assured her that this place was considerably less fancy (and expensive) than the Jules Vern. She relaxed after that, but was still curious about the place.

"Do you go out often?" She questioned as they were driving towards their destination. He shrugged.

"Not really. I don't eat very often. Once every day, sometimes less. But it seems that business people enjoy going out and drag you along with them. So you'll find I have quite the repertoire of restaurants" He said.

"You don't eat?!" Christine repeated. He nodded.

"I don't need to. My music sustains me as well as any type of food does." He admitted. _As do you..._

Christine cocked her head.

"Does that mean you don't have a favourite food?" She asked, disappointed. She had wanted to make him something.

He thought about it for a moment.

"I like some of the finer foods. I am not especially fond of any particular food though." He said carefully. Christine threw up her hands.

"You're impossible!" She cried. Erik had to chuckle at that sight.

"Quite." He agreed.

"I take it that means you don't like alcohol either." Christine grumbled, slumping in her seat and crossing her arms.

Erik shook his head.

"You're wrong there. I enjoy a good wine actually." He said. Christine looked at him.

"Really?" She asked suspiciously.

"Yes, a good, dry red always pleases. Though white isn't bad either. Actually-I am fond of most alcohol products. Nadir seems to have gotten me to be a closet alcoholic." He admitted, chortling.

"Nadir?" Christine questioned, perplexed. Erik nodded.

"He decided that every time he comes to visit me he would take me out to get a drink or bring something himself. Figures that it's the best way to make me sleep." He explained. Christine looked at him sharply.

"Sleep?" She asked. He shrugged.

"I believe Nadir once called me an 'insane insomniac.' I suppose that it was true..." He mused. Christine could not help but chuckle.

"I'm supposing that you and Nadir don't get along well then?" She assumed. He shook his head.

"We get along better than anyone else. With me anyhow. Besides you that is. He has learned to deal with my temper, my strange habits and even my odd hours. And I know that if something happened to me...well he probably would be the only person to really care about me. Not my finances." He said absently.

Christine shook her head.

"Not anymore Erik! I care now you know." She told him. He looked over at her and smiled.

"Of course my dear. I meant before. It was quite lonely you know." He reflected.

Before she could speak they arrived at The Pasta House. That was what it was called. It was just a small, cozy restaurant. It looked like it had been a house or something and been emptied out and converted into a restaurant.

There were fewer seats then there would be in a commercial restaurant and much smaller. It was actually busier than Christine expected. It was mostly business men and their wives in there.

The owner and waitress greeted them at the door.

"Mr Destler, welcome! Nice to see you come here with someone besides your clients." She smiled at them. She was an older lady, in her late 60's perhaps.

"Bonjour Kay. Thank you. This is Ms Christine Daae. Christine, this is Kay Wilson." He introduced them.

Christine shook the older lady's hand.

"Nice to meet you Mrs Wilson. Where are you from by the way? Your accent isn't French..." Christine observed. She had heard that accent before...

The lady smiled wider.

"Someone who can finally realize that! Good job my dear. You are right, I'm from Canada actually. My husband and I moved here in 1996." She said. Christine smiled now.

"Where in Canada? I used to live there with my foster parents!" She exclaimed. The old lady laughed.

"It was in Ontario. About three hours away from Thunder Bay. It's called Dryden." She explained.

Christine nodded.

"I lived in Ottawa for a bit, then I moved to Toronto." She told her. Kay nodded.

"Ah yes. I see."

Suddenly Christine got curious.

"Why did you move to France if you lived in Dryden for so long?" She asked. The old lady's face fell.

"I had four children...three sons and a daughter. My youngest son committed suicide and so my daughter moved away with her husband and child and Dale, the second oldest brother became a drug dealer." The woman said sadly. Christine gasped.

"I am so sorry!" She apologized Kay shrugged.

"You didn't know my dear. Now, let's get you seated." She guided them to the table closest to the fireplace and sat them down, leaving the menus with them.

Christine grabbed one and was about to see what she wanted when she realized that Erik was staring at her in undisguised amazement.

"What?" She demanded. He shook his head in admiration.

"How on earth do you do that?" He asked. Now she was confused.

"Do what?" She wondered.

"Make people open up to you like that." He clarified. She shrugged.

"It's a gift I guess. I dunno. Try being cheerful once in a while and you might get better at it." She teased.

He simply ignored the comment and went back to scanning the menu.

"Do you know what you want?" He asked her after a minute. She started and looked at the menu.

"Um, I think I'm going to get the Sicilian pasta." She said after a moment. He nodded in silent agreement and Christine went back to her thoughts.

_Now that we're a couple. What will happen? Will he expect intimacy from me? I-I don't think I could do that. Not yet. Not even for Erik. Want to, I really want to please him but I'm so scared. So scared. _She thought miserably.

Erik noticed the look on her face.

"Christine-what's wrong?" He asked concerned. She forced a smile on her face and he winced. He hated that smile.

"It's nothing Erik." She replied.

"Stop it!" He snapped. "It's not nothing! Tell me Christine." She refused to look at him.

"Erik...will you expect intimacy for our relationship?" She asked, almost inaudibly. He was shocked. He had never expected that! It had not even crossed his mind. No one could ever want to be intimate with a monster.

He shook his head.

"No my dear-it had not even crossed my mind. I can see that it makes you uncomfortable. I do not expect anything more than you want to give me Christine." He said honestly. Christine looked as though she were about to burst into tears.

"Thank you Erik...thank you so much." She whispered, a few tears leaking down her face. He wiped the tears away with the pads of his fingers.

"It's okay Christine. I promise-I won't let anyone hurt you again." She looked up and silently thanked him. A few seconds later Kay appeared and took their order. They sat in a comfortable silence as they waited for the food to come.

When it finally came Christine scarfed it down. She was amazed at how good it tasted. Erik hadn't ordered any food-only a nice dry, red wine that he was especially fond of. He detested sweet wines so he usually stuck to reds. Though he was known to drink a good white on occasion.

It was really quite amusing to him to watch Christine eat that food. She didn't notice how intensely he watched her. But the other patrons of the restaurant did and they were nervous. They were wondering if the masked man was going to hurt the girl. No one should be watching someone that intensely! They were all ready to pounce if the man attacked the woman.

Suddenly, right in the middle of the meal Christine stopped eating and looked up at Erik.

"Erik...I was wondering-after this can we go back to your house?" She pleaded. Erik looked up slightly surprised.

"Of course my dear. You may stay as long as you want." He said.

Christine looked down at her hands which were twisting a napkin in her lap-the only sign of her nervousness.

"Is forever okay?" She asked softly.

"Christine...are you asking if you can move in with me?" Erik asked incredulously. She nodded.

"Only if it's okay with you I mean. I'm not trying to mooch either." She said quickly. Erik-though surprised at the turn of events loved the idea.

"Of course it is okay with me Christine! Would you like Little Giry to move in as well?" She ask, though not entirely pleased with the idea of Meg coming to live with him he would have rather had Christine alone.

Christine hesitated at his question for a moment.

"If I remember correctly a few days ago we were planning something for Meg and her mother..." She hinted. Erik had forgotten about that.

"Oh yes-of course. Very good Christine. Shall we set up our plan for tomorrow?" He asked. She nodded. But then stopped.

"Wait-does this mean that Meg got into the corps de ballet?" She asked, excited for her friend. Erik nodded.

"It is hardly surprising with her mother being who she is. I took at a look at the list earlier and it seems Mademoiselle Giry did indeed make it through the audition." He confided. Christine squealed in delight and Erik was tempted to cover his ears. He forgot how high sopranos could squeal. It was positively painful! She had a good range it seemed.

Everyone in the restaurant was up out of their chairs, ready to help the poor woman who was most likely getting attacked when they saw the look of delight on her face. They sat down and the tension level in the air eased off a bit.

"Oh Erik-this is perfect!" She said once she was done. Erik was glad to see that he could still hear.

"I agree my dear. Now-the first rehearsal is in two days. And Mme Giry will have gotten the phone call already. He said. Christine nodded.

"And you will do your part?" She asked, needing some confirmation.

"Of course. Anyway my dear. I am afraid you do not have a change of clothes for tonight..." He observed. Christine shrugged.

"Surely you own at least one t-shirt? If not I think I will have to sleep in the nude..." She said, not realizing what she was doing to Erik when she said that.

Erik had to fight his instincts to lie and say that he could not find something for her to wear.

"We shall find something for you I am sure." He said smoothly. She grinned at him. She knew what he was thinking. He wasn't aware of it but his cheeks were slightly tinted red.

"Thanks. Now-once I finish this we shall leave." She compromised as she dug into the pasta.

The pasta plate's size was fairly large and Erik was shocked to see Christine inhale it in bare minutes.

"You must have been hungry." He observed after she was done.

"Well-I just spent all day emptying the contents of my stomach into the toilet so you'd think I'd be a bit hungry." She joked. Erik shook his head at her.

"Whatever possessed you to get drunk?" He asked. She looked away from him.

"You made me mad." She replied simply. He was boggled.

"How on earth did I make you mad?" He asked. She shrugged. The realization came to her.

"You were jealous of Raoul weren't you?" She asked. Erik looked away.

"Of course not. Why would I be jealous of a boy?" He muttered. But Christine was thoroughly enjoying this now.

"You were! You were jealous of Raoul! The mighty Erik Destler was jealous of a boy that was younger than him!" She crowed, laughing now.

"Don't be ridiculous." He said. Christine shook in silent laughter.

Erik paid the bill and escorted Christine to the car, she was wiping tears off her face because she had been laughing so hard.

"I'm sorry-I didn't mean to laugh at you Erik. It's just-Raoul and I could never be anything. I thought that it was clear last night." She apologized.

"I apologize as well my dear. I...have never felt jealousy before and I admit I might have lashed out a bit much." He said, apologizing for him harder than it was for her.

"Like I said Erik-Raoul and I are just friends. And we haven't seen each other for almost eleven years." She tried to comfort him. He eyed her.

"Are you sure? Because I'm pretty sure that the pup wants more than he's letting in on. He basically broadcasted that he wants you again. I would be happy to off him if you would like." Erik said hopefully.

Christine almost started to panic when Erik mentioned killing Raoul.

"No-no, it's okay Erik. You don't have to kill any okay Erik. You don't have to 'off' anyone on my account." She said nervously. Erik looked at her.

"I would kill for you Christine-all you would have to do is ask and I will do it." He said gently. Christine refused to answer. She didn't want Erik to kill anyone else. She could handle it if it was in the past and it was done but if he killed just because she asked him to she would never be able to forgive herself.

"It's okay Erik...but don't worry-if I need you to I'll ask." She promised, swearing to herself she would never ask him to do that.

"That's all I ask my dear." He replied. They sat in silence for the rest of the drive back to his home.

As they stepped into the house after the shirt drive Erik turned to Christine.

"What would you like to do first my dear?" He asked. Christine seemed to think about it for a moment.

"Well-I suppose I would have to give Meg a ring before anything. I don't want her thinking you kidnapped me. After that why don't we watch a movie?" She suggested.

Erik gave her a small smile.

"I believe that would be an excellent idea." He said and then handed her the phone.

"I would appreciate if you kept our relationship status from mademoiselle Giry." Erik requested. Christine looked at him sharply.

"Why? Why should I not tell Meg about us?" She demanded. Erik had the grace to look slightly sheepish for making her keep secrets from her friend. Slightly.

"I was thinking that we could make a more public announcement at the Opera House in two days." He said, praying that she would agree. She didn't know how much courage it took ask her to do this-and appear in front of a crowd.

Christine was mildly shocked. She had thought that Erik hated crowd. But she was delighted to see that he wanted to show her off.

"Of course! I'll say that...I fell asleep after we were done talking and didn't want to trouble you to go home." She said. He shrugged-he didn't care what she said either way.

"If you would like." He replied. Christine dialled the number to her apartment and Meg answered after the first two rings.

"Daae residence. This Meg speaking." She said formally. Christine admired the formal way she answered the phone.

"Hey Meg-it's Christine." Christine answered. Meg squealed so loud that Christine had to hold the phone away from her ear and Erik could hear her from across the room.

"Oh my God! Are you phoning from Erik's house? Don't answer that-of course you are! Don't tell m you had a roll in the hay with that jerk!" Meg exclaimed. Christine sighed. This would be much harder than she wanted it to be.

"Yes Meg-I'm phoning from Erik's house-no we have not done anything." She told her friend. Meg sighed in relief or disappointment-Christine wasn't sure which.

"Guess what! I made it! The people at the opera house called me and said that in two days rehearsals begin!" Meg suddenly remembered, cheering up again. Christine smiled. She already knew that.

"I know." She said simply. Meg was perplexed.

"How do you know? I didn't know until...oh of course. Give Erik hell for telling you what I wanted to. Oh-better yet hand him the phone." She demanded. Christine thought about it for a moment and then decided that it might be funny to see Erik and Meg interact.

She put her hand over the mouthpiece and called to Erik.

"Erik-come here. Meg is doing to talk to you." She said holding out the receiver to him. Erik was about to refuse when Christine glared at him. He sighed and swooped down on the phone.

"Hello Mme Giry. Is there something I can do for you?" He asked calmly.

"You bastard! How dare you tell Christine about my results before I could!" Meg yelled at him.

"I can assure you Meg, it was necessary. That's not what this is about now is it?" He asked. Meg was almost amazed at this man's ability to read people.

"You're right. Now tell me-you and Christine aren't going out-are you?" She had to make sure.

Erik winced at having to lie to her.

"Of course not." He lied. This only made Meg more enraged.

"Then you're friends with benefits-aren't you? I won't allow you to hurt Christine!" Meg declared. Erik winced at this assumption. Obviously she didn't know about Christine's past.

"We are not doing...that...m'amselle." He said, a thick blush staining his cheeks. Christine had buried her head in a pillow from the sofa so that Meg could not hear her laughing uncontrollably. She hadn't seen Erik this disquieted since...well _ever_. She wondered what Meg had said.

Meg could hear the discomfort in his tone and laughed.

"Whatever you say Erik...anyway-I'm guessing that Christine will be staying with you tonight." She sighed. Whatever they were doing it wouldn't be with her. Damn, and she wanted Christine to watch a movie with her tonight.

"You're guess is correct Meg. She fell asleep and it is now too late for her to return home." He answered. He didn't see her but Meg was rolling her eyes from his lame excuse. She had no idea what was going on between them but she was going to find out.

"Whatever. When you feel you want to return my friend feel free to do so. Until then don't talk to me!" She hung up, wishing that she could have slammed the phone down. Stupid cordless phones.

Erik looked at the phone when the dial tone came on and shook his head. Women were so confusing.

Erik hung up and turned to Christine who was red and couldn't breathe she was laughing so hard. He glared at her and she eventually calmed down. Those two were like a comedy act together!

"Come on...let's go pick a movie." She said once she finally calmed down. Erik nodded and let her into the entertainment room.

"What movies do you have?" She asked curiously. He chuckled.

"Anything that is out on dvd." He replied. Her eyes grew large.

"You're kidding right? No, of course you're not...cool!" She finally exclaimed. Erik had to laugh at her excitement.

"So what movie would you like to watch my dear?" He asked. She thought about it for a moment then said

"Sleeping with the Enemy!" Erik looked at her strangely.

"You can't like that movie can you?" He asked. She shrugged.

"It's good. Besides...it creeps me out. I'm going to need snuggles after." She replied slyly. Erik suddenly decided that he really wanted to watch that movie.

He cued the movie and they sat down and started to watch.

**XxX**

An hour and thirty three minutes later the movie was done and Christine was shaking. She may have liked the movie but it always did scare her. Erik, who was coming back from the kitchen tapped her on the shoulder and she screamed. He hugged her and she muttered something about he _knew _that movie creeped her out.

Erik decided that they should watch the news-just to show her that there was nothing to be afraid of. If there were any murderers on the loose there the news would report it. Christine reluctantly agreed.

They had to wait for half an hour before the late night news came so they entertained each other by play eye spy. Erik was good but Christine was better.

Finally the news came on. It went through a few trivial stories (this store got robbed, this oil company from the states is going out of business...that sort of thing.) finally they were on the last story and Erik was about to turn the T.V off when something caught Christine's attention.

It was a picture of her attacker the other night. Her and Erik noticed it at the same time the picture. They both turned pale, both for different reasons. Erik was about to turn the t.v off when Christine grabbed his hand took the remote from him. They concentrated on what the reporter was saying.

"Early this morning at six o'clock am Joseph Buquet was pronounced dead by the morgue. The police have said the cause of death was by strangulation. His body was moved to the coroner's office this afternoon for further examination. He was found in an ally way on Rue de you have any information on this man please contact the police at..." The woman droned on. Erik took the chance to shut the T.V off and looked at Christine. She turned to him, eyes wide and face pale.

"Erik....did you murder Joseph Buquet?"

**KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK**

**For the record-Kay is my grandmother (not her lastname of course.) she died in 1996. And the story is true. Most of it anyway. Dryden wasn't where she lived. Just a random town I chose.  
**


	12. Chapter 12

**I am SO sorry for not updating sooner. Honestly RL has been kicking my butt lately and I'm trying to beat it. I had to do A LOT of research for this chapter so believe it or not all of the facts in here are true. Which I find is sometimes strange. Anyway-enjoy!**

Chapter 12

He was trapped, he could feel it. There was no way to get around this, no way to avoid it.

It made him feel as though he was with those boys again and he had to push down the instinctive panic he had.

How would she react? Would she hate him? He was only trying to protect her!

Christine went into a panic.

'Erik! Answer me! Did you kill that man we just saw on the news?" She asked, desperately. He looked down and said quietly.

"Yes."

He heard Christine inhale sharply and closed his eyes, anticipating the blow that was surely to come. That was what his mother would have done.

What he had not expected was the hug that followed.

He felt her arms wrap around his midsection and flinched. He knew he deserved whatever beating as going to come next, but he couldn't help but cower. The scars on his back were a physical reminder of how much beatings could hurt. He just hoped Christine didn't use a belt like his mother had at times.

Christine felt Erik flinch under her grip. Had he never experienced a hug before?

She looked up and saw his eyes were closed and he was shaking.

Was he that terrified of someone touching him? What had his mother and the rest of the world done?

She understood now, why he had killed. He hadn't known better. That was what the human race had tried to do to him and it was only his strong will to keep alive that saved him.

She hadn't completely understood before-not very well. She had forgiven him, but she couldn't understand his motive as to killing.

But now she did. And she hated it. This man had been through so much in his life, why could he not have peace even after all these years? Why had the world been so cruel to him? He was a man! Not a monster as so many had treated him-a man!

A man who could be hurt like any other.

"Why? Why did you kill him Erik? What was he doing that could make you want to kill him?" She sobbed into his chest.

He was so surprised that he opened his eyes and saw that she was not going to hurt him. Not only that but she was hugging him! Something he had never experienced before.

"He was hurting you my dear, and that was reason enough to hurt him. But...if you want a logical reason it was because had he gotten away with it no one would have ever known what had happened and that man would have gone on doing the things that he was doing. No human is pure good Christine, but this man was pure evil. He did not care about you or anyone else he was hurting. He deserved to die. But I know that this is not a good excuse and I give you full reign over my body to punish me in whatever way you would like. But I want you to know-I truly am sorry for what I did."

He closed his eyes again and braced himself for the pain. But none came, only Christine hugging him harder.

"Erik-I could never hurt anyone. Least of all you! You have seen too much pain and suffering already! I want...I want to show you that some people in the human race won't do harm to you!" She sniffed.

Erik could not help but let out a bitter laugh. Just the thought of it was absurd! That someone other than gentle-hearted Christine would not be fearful of him, would not hate him.

He didn't say that though. He had a feeling that Christine would not understand his bitterness towards the human race.

"Erik? Why are you laughing?" Christine asked, unnerved by the bitter laughter coming from his mouth.

"My dear Christine-you truly do not know what I think of the human race? Let me enlighten you. I feel the same way they seem to feel about me. I hate them. I despise them with every ounce of my being for creating what has become clearly and thoroughly _me_. Do you think I would have turned out this bitter and resentful if I had not had someone to encourage it? No Christine, every human besides you has made it thoroughly clear of how they think of monsters." He replied smoothly, as though he didn't care at all.

"B-but Erik-you're a human too!" Christine shot back, slightly scared of what this man thought of humanity.

"I'm not a human Christine-and I never will be a human. My face has denied me of all human rights that I might have wished to acquire at some point in my life. There is nothing human left in me-my God, I don't even look like a human! What do you expect from me Christine?" He demanded.

"No-no! It's not like that Erik! You _are _human Erik! You can love! Monsters can't do that! You're not a monster!" Christine argued.

"I can't love Christine! It's charming that you try to compromise my humanity but I assure you there is no reason to! Now, think what you would like but I will not argue about this anymore!" He said, straightening up and pulling Christine into his arms. "I have had it made clear to me Christine, I'm not human. I'm not good enough for that. You are, you're everything good and pure about the world."

He didn't give her enough of a chance to reply, choosing instead to pick her up and carry her into her bedroom.

"It is time for you to go to sleep Christine. We will finish talking in the morning." He said firmly, laying her gently on the bed.

Christine conceded for the moment but promised herself that should would force the issue in the morning. But before that she had one last request.

"Erik...will you sing me a song? Papa always used to sing to me before he died. Please?" She pleaded.

He couldn't deny her, such an innocent request deserved to be answered anyway.

"Of course Angel." He answered softly then began.

_Top of Form_

_Éveillé ! Éveillé !_

_Hurlements nocturnes _

_Je soulève mon épée _

_Éveillé ! Éveillé ! _

_Entendez-moi maintenant _

_Tous viennent en avant _

_Je ne me retirerai pas _

_Errer les chemins _

_I' ; m osant ma jeune âme _

_Pour combattre pour _

_Les longues lois oubliées _

_Éveillé ! Éveillé ! _

_J'appelle le thee ! _

_Jour et nuit_

_Unseparable _

_Le bien et le mal _

_Imperceptible _

_Éveillé ! Éveillé ! _

_Entendez-moi maintenant _

_Tous viennent en avant _

_Je ne me retirerai pas _

_Errer les chemins _

_Crachement dehors termbly des voeux _

_I' ; m lâchant des charmes mesmeric _

_Criphered dans les runes antiques…_

When he looked again Christine was breathing deeply, obviously asleep. He sighed in self contentment. He was glad that out of everything that was a monster in him, his voice still was an angel's...and the angel that was laying in this bed was his motivation to go do what's right.

**XxX**

_Allred Unit, maximum security State prison_

_Witchita country, Texas, United States._

_Same day_

He had thought it over so many times in the last twelve years. It was the perfect plan. No one could catch him, no one would notice he was gone until it was time for him to supposable return to his cell.

It may have taken years to put this into action but it would work. It had to. He was sick and tired of being locked up in this hell house. He needed to get out. It wasn't his place to be anyway.

The cart had been transferred. They had not done a routine checked as he knew they wouldn't. The guards were lazy, too damned tired of their jobs to care anymore.

The laundry cart smoothly rolled out of the prison, and into the truck. He was free at last.

After all-no one messed with Max Gunther.

**XxX**

_11 years and 2 months earlier_

Maximillian Gunther had been having the time of his life, to him it felt like it would go on forever. The flesh, it was always the flesh that had gotten to him. It was a craving he couldn't ignore, an addiction that was worse than any drugs.

At first it had just been sex, it had started when he was sixteen. It gradually got worse from there. When he couldn't find any more willing partners he had moved onto the younger ones. Whether they were willing or not.

Then, it eventually got boring. There was no challenge in that. Pin them down, make sure they stop moving, where was the fun in that? He wanted something more difficult. Assault wouldn't work, they could run off and tell.

Murder would also be so much more interesting. They couldn't run off and tell, they would stop squirming after the first few blows and it would satisfy his lust for flesh.

He had murdered seven women. Only two of them had ever been found. This worked better for him in the end.

But it had all ended with that brat.

It had been a usual night. He had been visiting New York. He lived in Texas but was on a business trip. He had contained his craving for three nights but on the fourth it was too much.

He had waited in a back alley after dusk, wondering what kind of prey would fall into his trap. It had been a fifteen year old girl. Sweet, attractive and innocent. He had broken off a branch from a nearby tree to use as a weapon.

He had grabbed her, she had started struggling. Usually this was the point in the process that he enjoyed the most. But this time it just annoyed him. She bit him when he put his hand over her mouth and it had hurt. In retaliation he had knocked her over the head with the branch and continued to do his regular activities.

Before he had a chance to slit her throat he heard someone coming. It sounded like two young teenagers. He had slipped his knife back into his pocket and ran. Bare minutes later he heard sirens and knew he was right to run when he had.

He hadn't thought that the girl had gotten a good look at him. He was in the city for another month, he was a manger of a corporation that needed to make some improvements in New York. After such a close call he didn't think it would be wise to go out again. But it was right before his plane ride home when he went out of control.

He had been caught raping another woman and he was sent back to Texas to have his trial there. He was found guilty of all charges accused of him. The girl who had gotten away had come and testified against him.

At first they had sentenced him to capital punishment by lethal injection. Then his lawyer made him take an insanity test and he was titled legally insane. Unlike most countries in the States they only reduce your sentence if you pass the test. So he was sentenced to life in the maximum security jail.

But now he was getting out-he wanted revenge on those who wronged him and he would get it. He would start with the ones that testified against him. He still had connections that owed him so he would use them to get the information he needed.

Revenge would be his.

**For the record-Allred is a real maximum security prison in Texas. And an inmate actually did escape by stowing away in a laundry cart. He was caught a couple of hours later but we shall see about Mr Gunther.**


	13. Chapter 13

**A long chapter for once! ....That's probably a bad thing for you who want some E/C action. We have a new twist in the plot and a new character who I adore. He's based off of an unsub from Criminal Minds. Adrian Bale for those of you who watch the show. **

**Some of the lines are from Dracula the musical. I get no monetary gain off of this story.

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Chapter 13

Erik slowly walked toward his destination. He knew what he was doing was right. He had been tempted to do this many times-but it was not until he saw Christine's expression when she had found out he was a murderer did he ever think to do it. Those years in Iran-they had stained his soul red and he was about to pay his penance for it.

"Oh Christine-can I condemn you to live out this dark circle of despair? Can I poison your life, can I drive you insane, can I drag you into my world of bloodlust and pain? My life is no life at all, it's bleak and unforgiving. I was born to love you and need you and let you go free." He muttered inconsolably.

Finally he arrived at his objective: Place Louis Lépine, 1 rue de Lutèce, 75004 Paris. Or as the Americans would say, the police station.

The building was one of the older ones in Paris, and quite large. The gargoyles on the roof seemed to mock Erik, saying "Come join us-you're a monster like us. Come join your brethren." He shrunk back, imitated by the beings that were supposedly guarding the building from evil.

He then straightened, there was no going back. Nothing would scare him off once he had made up his mind. He stepped bravely into the entrance of the building.

He had been in here many times before, whether to see Nadir or get a ballet rat/chorus member out of trouble. But he had never been as frightened of the building as he was now. He, for the first time in a long while, was absolutely terrified. And he was furious with himself for it. Not since before Christine had he allowed himself to show this much vulnerability.

Erik stepped into the corridor. He felt as though he were on the death row, ready to be executed. It might as well have been, he supposed, after all it was just as permanent.

Finally he stepped into the reception area. There were offices and emergency operators as well as the receptionist. In the back were where all the 'major' offices were.

The receptionist glanced up, and tried to hide her nervousness when she saw Erik who was radiating enough tension for the whole building. He was as tense as a rubber band.

"Bonjour Monsieur Destler. Monsieur Khan n'est pas ici en ce moment. Il étudie dehors un cas. Je ne sais pas quand il sera de retour." She replied, her voice shaking.

"Je ne veux pas voir Monsieur Khan. Je veux voir Monsieur Gaudin." Erik replied. The receptionist nodded and pointed him down the hall.

Michel Gaudin was the prefect of police, in other words the big boss of the joint. He ran everything to do with the Paris police department. He handled mostly the big cases and was no stranger to Erik, he was the one that had to go through his immigration files when coming to France from Iran. Since Erik had trouble with the law in America they had to check his passports, credentials, and all the other stuff to make sure that he would be no threat to France while there for an indefinite amount of time.

He slowly made his way into the back offices. He knew that if he wanted he could get out of there, retreat and no one but himself and Christine would be the wiser to his slip of control. It would be buried like all the rest of his past. But he could not. Not since the sensitivity he seemed to accumulate for Christine's feelings came into play. He would no longer hurt her, no longer place her in danger she could not begin to think of.

He walked into the office, aware that no one was in there. He wondered where Michel was. The receptionist had said that he was in his office. Perhaps he had gone to get some coffee or a drink? It was entirely possible.

Erik sat down on the opposite side of the large mahogany desk that took up quite a bit of the great office that looked out onto the streets. The office wasn't furnished very much. There were some potted plants, the desk, a computer and three chairs. There were a few filing cabinets that lined the walls. Erik would bet his fortune that his file was in those cabinets somewhere.

The chair wasn't all that comfortable-as to be expected. In any type of office you never want your client to be too comfortable-you usually don't want them to come back and cause you more hassle. Either way you get paid. Erik wasn't sure if that was Gaudin's view on the subject or if he had just inherited the chairs from the former prefect.

He must have sat in that chair for about half an hour before anyone came to talk with him. And who is was such a shock Erik was sure he was hallucinating. It was a face he had left far behind.

He was beginning to wonder if he should seek someone out. It was taking far too long to get anyone in the office. Just as he was about to stand up he heard an accented voice.

"Well, look what we have here. It seems to be our Angel of Death! Or do you prefer to be called 'Erik' now?" The snide voice asked. Erik bolted up.

"Rasheed." He hissed. The man dressed in such dark blue that it almost seemed black stepped into the room from where he was leaning on the door frame. He had thick brown hair that was longer than seemed necessary. He had typical Iranian features, and a nose that looked like it had been broken at least twice. His eyes were black. There was no way to discern the pupil from the iris.

"Ah yes. It seems you _do _remember me! What an honor!" He said, bowing sarcastically. Erik could feel his heart pumping blood at twice the normal speed and his breath getting shallow. This man was _not _supposed to be here!

"What do you want Rasheed? Why are you here?" He asked with clenched teeth. Where were the police when you need them?

"Why my dear friend! I'm here to see you of course! You see we've been keeping tabs on you. We're not going to let our most precious puppet get away now are we? Especially after the Hell you put us through! Oh no, no-we can't have that." Rasheed replied.

"I'm free of you! I signed the contract for my release and read it over myself! I had the court's lawyers draw it up!" Erik countered, knowing that there was going to be some kind of trickery involved. He should have listened to his instinct back in Iran when it was telling him to take the contract with him.

"Well-you see that was the contract. But it seems that the Supreme Leader-for some reason-has taking a liking to you. He has dubbed you the finest assassin he has ever had. Not surprising considering the number of people you killed. But, I'm not so sure that your allegiance and silence is still with us." He told him, smirking.

Then something dawned on Erik.

"Wait...why did you wait till now to seek me out? How did you find me? _Why_ did you find me?" He demanded, fearful he already knew the answer.

Rasheed's expression lit up.

"So the skeleton _does _have a brain! We were starting to wonder you know, if there was anything in there empty space like a normal corpse!" He sneered. He made a hand signal and someone Erik had never seen before entered the office. He was American if he were to judge by looks. He was unkempt but in clean clothes. It seemed he had traveled a long ways in a short time to get there.

"Let me introduce you two. Corpse-this is Maximillian Gunther. Max-this is the man we have been seeking. The Angel of Death or Living Corpse as he was sometimes known as."

Max regarded Erik carefully.

"He don't look too corpse-like to me." He said, as if spitting out every syllable. Rasheed's face broke into a malicious smirk.

"Of course not. He likes to pretend that he is a normal man. Why do you think he wears the mask? That he's so thin. If you look under his shirt you can see many of the lashings that was done to him for his disobedience in a matter. No one likes a corpse that has its own opinions you see."

Erik trembled with rage, he wasn't physically repressed but he might as well have been. There were two of them and one of him. He had no tricks up his sleeve to get out of this one.

In fact, he had come here to confess to murdering Joseph Buquet. It was his way of repenting and saving Christine from having a life with him. Was it really over two hours ago that he had last seen her? It seemed as though it had been an eternity.

"You shouldn't be here you know. This is a police station. You could easily get caught by someone strolling down the hallway." Erik tried to reason. Rasheed shook his head and kept his disturbing grin on his face.

"Do you truly think of me as an idiot? I may not have the brains they claim you have but I do have some. Your 'friend' Nadir is currently managing this aspect of the plan." He replied, grinning wickedly.

That is what got to Erik. His heart beat wildly from his chest, as if trying to get out. All the blood from his face drained.

"What? Liar! Nadir would never betray me!" He growled. Rasheed shook his head.

"Like you would never betray him? I seem to remember him mentioning that you made an oath to him. No more murders. Needless to say he's the one that alerted me to your presence here in France. I had thought you would have returned to your roots in America. That is how I came across Max here. Imagine my surprise when I learned he needed to come to France too! I was shocked to learn that you were actually born and raised here in France Erik. Lying to the Supreme Leader is unforgivable you know. Really! America? I thought I heard an accent in your voice but you hide it so well!"

Erik felt a twinge of recognition at the name Maximillian Gunther. Suddenly it clicked.

"Christine!" He managed to gasp out. For the first time that morning he succeeded in confusing Rasheed.

"Never heard of her. Is that your corpse bride?" He asked, puzzled. He turned to Max who was regarding him with curious eyes.

Erik relaxed. They truly had no idea who she was. Thank God. Nadir never spoke to them of her. But that didn't mean she wasn't in danger. Not only was he fairly certain that this was the man who raped her-that name wasn't too popular- but they could use Christine as leverage against him at any time.

"I care for nobody-you should know that Rasheed, if you're so up to date on my life. My life is as bleak as your soul." He spat.

The Iranian seemed to think about that for a moment.

"Fair enough monster. It seems that I have been wrong in my assumption. Forgive me for that. But we are not here for idle chatter. We need to know, have you really betrayed our secrets? Have you killed again as you were contracted not to? We made a deal corpse. No more deaths-that was reserved for your paying services for the Supreme Leader alone. Who hired you this time? The French government? And why would they want you to kill a simple stagehand? Has your allegiance with us worn thin _Erik? _The Supreme Leader does not like people who betray him and his citizens." Rasheed informed him. He uttered Erik's name as though he would a curse-like it was the most derogatory word in the world.

"It was self-defence Rasheed. I have slipped in under the radar of the French government. I know exactly what happens to people who deceive the Iranian government. I was the one that inflicted the punishment most of the time if you remember."

"Ah yes-I do in fact remember that. How were we allowed to forget? The magician that looked like a corpse and was the best assassin Iran has ever had. He was always smarter, always ahead of us. The one that we thought was American. You may had only been with us for two years but let me tell you this-once you entangle yourself with us you're never free. Do you think the reason we let you get away so easily was because of that contract? Do you honestly think that Nadir-one of our race-was truly there to help a monster. Oh-he may have felt some type of affection for you before you came to Iran. But there was no way for him to deny what a beast you were after that." Rasheed mocked him, trying to goad him into doing something stupid.

"Then what did you come here for? You wouldn't care if I was killing people again or not! And what does he-" Erik pointed to Gunther. "Have to do with anything? How did you even know about each other?"

Gunther looked up in interest now that the topic was about him. He had been told little about the man that they were talking to at the moment. Rasheed gave no indication that he was ready to answer anything Erik said.

"Oh no-we're not through yet Erik. We'll get to Max later. What I want to know is what makes you tick. How can you murder people in such a cold careless way? I really know nothing about you. Is it classic broken home? Childhood trauma? I do know some psychology you know. Or was it because of your corpse-like physique? They say all murderers have to have some reason, it can be OCD, post traumatic stress disorder. What about you Erik? Why do you do what you can? You're brilliant, you could have come straight to France without ever setting foot in Iran. Yet you did-and you knew the Supreme Leader was looking for a skilled assassin. You eagerly accepted the job. Why? Because of your hate towards the human race? But it's not really hate is it? It's jealousy."

Erik's eyes narrowed into slits. He didn't like where this was going-this whole endeavour was like a train wreck. He couldn't avoid it.

"What have I to be jealous of? Pitiful people who cannot handle themselves in a stronger manner? Someone who is spoilt, rich and manipulative without having to lift a finger to do actual work and live in the real world? Is _that _what I should be jealous of Rasheed? Beings that don't care about anything else except their own lives? Tell me the truth Rasheed-if it came down to your life and the Supreme Ruler's whose would you pick? You would pick .time. For me it was simple: kill or be killed. If the opportunity for me to care about someone arose and it was their life or mine in danger I would have picked mine. Like a good little monster. Does that go to show how 'monstrous' I am?"

"You're jealous because we get to have a normal life. One full of happiness, family, friends and the like. That is something you will _never _have. Do you ever think of it Erik? What your life would be bad you been born normal? How many people would have survived to see their families again if you hadn't been born? More importantly-have you ever sincerely regretted murdering those people. Think of their children? They would never have a father come home in one piece, alive, some were never found." Rasheed was manipulating him. He knew it, Erik knew it-Gunther knew it. But it had worked, it enraged Erik enough to snap back.

"I have wondered about that! And you know nothing of it! A normal life is all I ever wanted! To walk the streets without the whispers! There are other disfigured people in this world but why do they not get the attention? Because they're heros of war? An accident? Those who were born like me-if there even was anymore-were quietly eliminated! By their parents, the government, by themselves! What I did in Iran...what I did in Iran was what those people deserved. They were no innocents to crime. To murder, rape-things that should have never happened and damaged people forever!" Erik raged. He knew that what he had done had affected families. But what he had done had saved more lives than it ruined.

"Is that what you think my little Corpse? What would you do if I were to say that about a quarter of the people you killed were actually innocent? That they were killed for no reason at all other than to keep you sated and the Leader's thirst for blood? What would you think then?" Rasheed was being beyond cruel now, he was telling Erik something he should have never have known. The Supreme Leader had commanded everyone to not let Erik in on this fact. But he wasn't here right now was he?

Erik paled further, his skin was the color of his mask at this time.

"I-impossible! I saw the evidence myself! There is no way that they could have been innocent!" He stammered. Rasheed chuckled.

"Do you not think that we, the government of Iran, could handle framing someone? You underestimate us Erik. It will be your downfall one day. That day may even be today. You don't know, I don't know. Only Allah knows and he doesn't give a-what would the English call it?-two pence for your hide!"

The sad truth mocked Erik. He would never be loved like a normal man, he would always have special needs. He had a handicap that would hinder him for the rest of his life.

"You may be right about that. I may be every bit of the monster you call me. If I did what you say I did-I still feel no remorse. I did what I thought was right at the time. I did what I did to save my life, and other's lives. That's what I have to believe and it is what I will believe." Erik said, his voice weak from shock and uncertainty.

Rasheed shrugged, not caring about his motivations either way. There was only one reason why he was here.

"You asked about Max here. Interesting story really-we had flown to America to see if we could get any information on you. We were on our plane, on the way over here when we turned the T.V on and saw that a serial rapist had escaped from his prison in Texas! It just so happens that we had stopped for gas near where he had escaped. We saw a man come stumbling onto the airstrip. He was dirty, malnourished and looked as though he were about to pass out. We brought him inside the plane, fed him, watered him, let him clean up. To our surprise it was the serial rapist we had saw on t.v! We struck a deal-now he works for us and we allow him all the freedom he would ever want. Provided he doesn't betray us." He explained as though they were continuing a line of conversation they had just halted.

Erik picked up on something.

"We? Who's we? How many of you are there here? And who are you working for? The Leader? Why does he need me again?" Erik demanded, tired of being stalled and surprised at every turn.

Rasheed chuckled.

"The Leader my friend? Oh-I no longer work for him. It was meaningless the entire time-I am a patriot. I stand only for my country. If I were to move up on the latter past what I was to help my country I would do it. And I did. I found someone who was better for the country than our leader who has led us astray. This man says that we need to kill off those who oppose us. Now, you can offer yourself up and become our assassin again or you can die here. It's your choice."

With that he reached into his pocket and took out a pair of handcuffs. He motioned for Max to restrain Erik as he clicked him to the desk. He struggled to no avail.

"Now we shall handle this like the civilized people I know we-I mean I- can be. We don't want to linger too long. I don't know how long Nadir will be able to keep up his wild goose chase up for."

With great flourish he reached into his pocket and produced a gag-most likely it had some kind of drug in it to knock Erik unconscious.

Erik kicked and squirmed but it did not deter his assailants.

Rasheed commanded Gunther to hold Erik down. When he bit them they decided to call in the armed guards.

Rasheed motioned for a man to come forward with a little pistol. Not enough to kill-just to cause a lot of pain and quite a bit of blood.

They put a silencer on the gun and quickly shot Erik in the leg. He cried out in pain as they stuffed the relatively clean cloth in his mouth.

"Oh Christine... I was born to love you. I lived and died to love you. And now I will set you free." Were his last thoughts before the blackness overtook him.


	14. Chapter 14

**Come on guys! Two reviews? I know that more people than that are reading this story! Reviews motivate the author you know! I just want to know who's reading this! And one review doesn't count! She's my friend so she's practically forced to write a review! (No offense Remy) Please guys! Review, just let me know what you think about the story. Even if it's just a 'good job' or 'I hate it'. If you review it might motivate me to write one or two more chapters before I go to Vegas next week.**

***Sigh*-anyway-thanks to ErikaDyer for reviewing last time. And all the others who reviewed before that.

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Chapter 14

Christine Daae was having a wonderful dream. She was dreaming about her father and herself in a picnic they had taken in Central Park when she was seven.

It was a beautiful summer day, kites were flying and there were people crowding the park. She smiled brilliantly at her father, hoping that he would let her buy a treat like ice cream. They sat down on a place that didn't have too many people in it. Suddenly, the wind started blowing and the clouds grew dark.

Christine looked around, confused. What was going on? This never happened! It had been a great day for her!

Suddenly she was in a hospital room again, her father's right before he died. He was laying on the bed, his breathing laboured. He looked into her eyes seriously.

"Christine...child, do not fear. You will have one to guide you once I am gone." He gasped. Christine felt tears streaming down her face.

"No! Papa! Don't leave me! Not again. Please-I love you!" She begged. A tight smile grew on her father's face.

"But you love someone else more do you not child? Someone who makes you feel wanted and loved. That is something I couldn't do after Beth's death. You have someone that loves you as well Christine..." And he fell into a deep sleep, one he would never wake from.

"Erik..." Christine whispered, waking up suddenly.

She looked around frantically, where was he? Where was she for that matter? Oh right-the guest room Erik had. He carried her there when she had fallen asleep. The books and CDs that lined the walls helped calm her down. They were the ones she used to listen to all the time. Most of them Disney classic, the Lion King, Mulan, that sort of stuff.

She saw normal clothes in the closet, jeans, t-shirts, that sort of thing. She picked her favourite ones out of the bunch and threw them on, in search of Erik.

She ran down the stairs and saw two of the servants that had been calling her a whore earlier. They glanced up, looked at each other but did not say a word.

"Excuse me-do you know where Erik is?" She finally asked. The woman looked at her in shock.

"The master has left you a note on the kitchen table. It is that was." She said snidely, motioning to a hallway on their left. Christine nodded in thanks and dashed down the hallway.

She finally reached the kitchen and saw the paper on the table. She figured Erik had gone to the opera house or something. Nothing could have prepared her for what was on that paper.

_My dear Christine_

_By now you will have realized that I am gone. I am not coming back, I have caused you enough pain and suffering with me being there. I am a murder by heart Christine. I cannot change that and the best thing is for me to leave you. I will not tell you where I am going-do not come and find me. I cannot have you tainted by me Christine, you are everything I am not._

_I know about what happened to you before your father died, your rape is fresh in my mind as I write this. The court orders, everything about it makes me sick. But do not dwell on the incident your whole life. Be grateful that you were not damaged worse and live your life to the fullest. Be thankful for what you have. Take care of Little Giry for me, convince her and her mother to reunite. They deserve each other because they're family. I am not a part of that family._

_You will have the protection of my reputation wherever you go. If you continue to work with Jack and Ms Stewart that is excellent. If you decide that you are not right for that place I will not hold it against you and you will be welcomed wherever you decide to go next._

_As to where you will live, I will not permit you to live in that hole you call a home any longer. This is now your house, all my possessions and riches are yours. Where I am I will not need them. They are for you and only you. I ask that you do not let anyone know about my bedroom. That is for us and us alone. Excluding Nadir we are the only two people in the world who know about it. I ask that you keep that sacred. To remember me by._

_Please Christine-do believe I love you. I love you and I would die for you. This is a way to keep you safe. _

_I love you forever and always_

_Erik_

Christine fell to the ground in a sobbing mess.

"N-no! He can't be gone! I was supposed to watch over him, love him, show him that he is loved! How could he think that he is a monster?" She sobbed.

And she was a sobbing mess that had no idea what to do now. She couldn't report him as a missing person-he hadn't been gone more than 8 hours at the most. And he didn't have many friends. What could she do? She had to get him back! She couldn't live without him!

It seemed like forever before she was able to think rationally enough to make a descision.

She called Meg. It seemed logical. Meg had known Erik longer than she had and was reliable. So it seemed like the best idea at the time.

Key words: At the time.

When Meg heard she started to freak out. A lot.

"What am _I _supposed to do Christine?! I don't know him at all! You'd be better off asking my mum or Nadir! Hell-ask the servants and they would know better than me! I haven't seen him in over 2 years!" She raged. She was worried as well. She knew how much Christine loved him and if he was to disappear then she couldn't say what would happen to Christine.

"Please Meg-I really need your help. He's gone! I need to get him back!" Christine said determinedly. Meg sighed, thinking for a moment.

"Okay....tell me the address and I'll be there as soon as I can. I have to do something first." She agreed. Christine almost cried from relief.

"Oh thank you so much." Christine whimpered then gave her the house address.

~*~

Meg didn't know what she was doing. Well, she did partially. She needed to help her friend. And help her friend she would. But there was going to be consequences for it.

She got off the bus where she used to stop everyday. She walked about a block to the south and turned off into a street.

She stood in front of a house for a moment, just sizing it up. Noticing that nothing had changed really. The paint had faded and some of the flowers were larger. But it didn't look different at all.

She slowly reached into her pocket and took out a key that she had grabbed from her measly items.

She walked up the walkway, her feet dragging, her mind screaming against this action.

Finally she reached the front door. She rang the bell then inserted the key into the lock. She opened that door and called out:

"Mom? _Mom_?! It's me-Meg! Please come here for a moment!"

Suddenly she heard footsteps barrelling down the steps from the second floor. Mother and daughter embraced for the first time for a long while. Finally Antoinette stepped back and looked at her daughter, he eyes red and puffy from the tears.

"Oh ma fille....thank you for coming back to me. I'm so sorry....so sorry. I did not mean it." She said softly, not wanting to upset her only daughter.

"I'm so sorry too maman. But we will talk later-I need your help." She whispered.

"What do you need? Are you in trouble?" Antoinette asked sharply. Meg shook her head.

"No-it is Erik who is in trouble. He has run away, and he may do something drastic." She said frantically. The puzzled look her mother had on her face forced Meg to explain everything that had happened (minus the prostitution part) since she had left.

"We need to help Christine find Erik maman! You should see him with her, he's very gentle and loving." Meg begged.

"But why did you come to me Meg?" Antoinette asked.

"Can you help us look for him? Please! This isn't normal for Erik-and Christine is on the verge of a mental breakdown!" Meg cried tearfully, the emotions of the past little while getting a hold of her.

Antoinette sighed.

"Come on-we'll take my car."

~*~

The car drive to Erik's estate was awkward. Neither knew what to say to the other after a year's separation.

Finally Meg tried to bridge the gap between them.

"So...uh-date any new guys while I was gone?" She ventured. After her father Jules died her mother had gone on a brief stunt of depression, leaving Meg to fend for herself basically.

She had only dated once since then and they guy had turned out to be no good.

Until now apparently.

Antoinette turned red.

"I may have met a detective while searching for you....he was nice." She muttered. Meg burst out laughing at the look on her mother's face.

"Are you serious mom? A detective? Aw man-I can totally not see you going out with a detective! I mean-sure, it would be cool and all. But still! Mom! What's his name?" She asked, chattering non stop. Her mother smiled, this was the Meg she remembered.

"His name is Jason Gideon. He is a nice man Meg. When you meet him you shall realize that. His work can be dangerous and that is why I do not want to be serious with him. I could not bear it if I lost another one that was dear to me." Antoinette said seriously. Meg sobered and nodded.

"I'm sorry-it's just....after dad died you were so sad. I want you to be happy again mom. That why I left." Meg said miserably. Antoinette nodded.

"I know-and we will speak of this later when things are not quite so crazy. All you need to know is that I love you Meg and I can't bear the thought of losing you too."

Meg nodded in agreement as they pulled up to the house.

"Wow! Does Erik really live here?" She exclaimed. Her mother chuckled.

"Yes he does cherie. You forget that Erik is a very rich man, as paranoid as he is."

The stepped out of the car, surveying the house. They didn't miss the pale face that peaked out the front window as they approached.

Christine met him at the door, fresh tears running down her face and her nose was running.

She looked at the two of them, they bore a striking resemblance to the other. Besides the fact that Antoinette wore black and Meg only wore cheerful colors.

"Christine-this is my mother, mother this is Christine-the girl that I was telling you about." Meg made quick introductions.

"How do you do?" Christine offered a watery smile.

"Very well. I just want to offer my thanks for taking my daughter in when she needed it most." Antoinette thanked her. Christine shook her head.

"It was what anyone would have done in my situation. Meg made great company." She offered.

They both smiled at each other.

"Great-now that we're all done talking about me I think there was a reason you called me here Christine?" Meg asked impatiently.

Christine's face crumpled. Tears sprang into her eyes again.

"W-while you were gone I got a phone call. The man demanded to speak to Nadir but I said he wasn't there. He sounded familiar and I don't know why. But he asked who this was and I gave him my name and he said that he would try again later." She sobbed.

"What does that have to do with anything Christine?" Antoinette asked gently, trying to calm the young girl.

"What I'm saying is-he didn't ask for Erik. Anyone else would have addressed the master of the house first. But not him. He knows something! I know he does!" She sniffed, trying to get a hold of herself.

Both Meg and her mother looked at each other, realizing that Christine was right. At that moment the doorbell rang.


	15. Chapter 15

**Sorry about that little rant the last time I posted....I had to have stitches that day and I was cranky and in pain. I probably should have waited a while before trying to use my brain, lol. Anyway-I completely forgot that most of you would have finals! So sorry. I don't have them so I didn't realize....anyway.**

**I'll be gone for about 10 days and it will be a bit more before I update. I leave for Vegas on Tuesday and I return on Christmas day. No writing for me then! That is my week to O.D on Phantom! So-this will be my last update for a while. Good luck and Godspeed as my math teacher says!

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Chapter 15

The doorbell echoed through the house. The women looked at each other, having no clue who was at the door they could only guess. It could be Nadir, the man on the phone, or some complete stranger they didn't know.

They had no idea what to do. Truth be told they were all terrified, Erik was gone and they were in a hostile house.

The doorbell rang again and when it became apparent that no one was going to answer it Christine edged towards the door, wiping the tears from her eyes.

She finally reached the door and looked through the peephole. To her immense relief it was Nadir at the door.

He was panting quite hard, sweat dotted his upper lip. His chest rose and fell rapidly, looking around he seemed nervous as he waited for someone to open the door.

Christine took note of all this changes and wondered what happened. Maybe he knew where Erik was! She unclicked all the locks and opened the door slowly, the old joints creaking. Nadir's attention returned to the door.

"Quickly Christine! Open the door! I must get inside!" He urged and Christine, though puzzled, obeyed.

He stumbled in the house, his knees apparently weak from whatever had tired him. Madame Giry and Meg helped him onto the sofa while Christine retrieved a glass of water.

After he was refreshed he finally spoke.

"Oh Christine...forgive me. Please forgive me. I was trying to help!" He begged. The women in the room exchanged glances, wondering if the man had gone mad.

"Forgive you for what Nadir? What have you done that is so terrible?" Christine asked gently. Nadir put his head in his hands.

"You must know by now that Erik is gone." He started and Christine nodded in agreement.

"Yes, he left a note for me this morning." She replied. Nadir sighed.

"I was afraid of that. It means he is gone. We will never find him...and worst of all I have no regrets about what I did."

A resounding slap sounded around the room. Everything seemed to stop for a moment. Then time seemed to catch up.

Madame Giry and Meg were still sitting on the couch, staring in shock. And Christine was standing in front of Nadir, hand open. Nadir was still on the couch but his head was turned away from Christine, a red mark on his cheek was the proof that she had indeed slapped him.

"What do you mean? Tell me what you did Nadir! What did you do to Erik? And why?" Christine screamed at him. He blink a couple of times, then turned back towards her.

"You must know that he killed Christine-he killed that man who was found in the alleyway. He made a promise to me that he broke." He whispered.

"Did you ever stop to think that he did that for a reason?! He was protecting me you know! That man was trying to rape me and Erik stopped him! He may have killed him but at least no more women will be in danger from that man! Did you know that Nadir? Did you ever stop to think to ask Erik about why he had done that?! Did you? No-you treat him like monster because that's what you see! You have never seen him truly! His heart could hold and empire and you never realized that! All you see is a murderer who kills senselessly. And people wonder why Erik hates people! Even the people he would call friends have betrayed him and you expect him to be a dammed saint?! Think for a minute would you?!" Christine roared, tears once again in her eyes.

Nadir wore an expression that was similar to one of a man who had been shot.

"You do not know him Christine. He is a monster down to the core. He killed children you know." Nadir argued. Christine shook with rage.

"He killed those kids because they were trying to kill him! Don't pretend to know him Nadir! You have no idea. You see what you want to see not what he is. He is a human. Not a monster, not a corpse. Do you think that you have suffered as much loss as he has? You're such a self centered jerk if you think so! The world doesn't revolve around you and what you think! Erik has never been the person you see him as! You have obviously never seen him with me! He's the most caring, attentive man when he is with me! And I love him! He is loved Nadir! And I love him for himself! Not for the monster everyone else sees!"

Nadir seemed shocked.

"Allah above...what have I done? He has finally found someone who loves him-truly loves him and I have taken that away from him...." He whispered. Christine slowly calmed down.

"Where is he Nadir? What did you do with him?" She demanded. Nadir motioned for her to sit down.

"Before I tell you that I will have to tell you about the time Erik and I were in Iran for you to fully understand why I did what I did." Nadir said. Christine nodded.

"Then get on with it!"

"After Erik left the foster home he was in he started composing and doing various works of architecture. He quickly became famous. Soon enough the Supreme leader in Iran caught wind of him. He soon became fascinated with Erik's works and ordered someone to bring Erik to him. They paid Erik handsomely when he agreed. Erik was...power driven. Best I can figure he had been without power his whole life. So it was natural of course for him to want to gain that. Money is the best way to get power as most know.

Erik flew to Tehran and quickly gained favour among the court. Some of his buildings are world famous. Not that anyone knows he built them. Erik likes to be discreet about these things. Then, when we were walking through a market someone attacked Erik. The man was not left alive. There were too many witnesses in the market for the Supreme leader not to hear about his architect's newfound talents.

It took three days for the Leader to summon Erik into his chambers to employ him for a new job. At first Erik was confused, he was supposed to bring a list of men to the leader. He did the job though, and was paid more handsomely than before.

Then, he was asked to execute the prisoners. He was shocked and refused to do it. Then, the Leader told him that if he did not it would be his life in forfeit and they would die as well. They were not innocent men he told Erik. They had killed and probably would kill again.

Erik complied, at first he killed cleanly and without pain. Snapping to the neck was used the most often. Then, he grew bored. He lost all thoughts of humanity at this point and enjoyed the screams of the men as the Leader enjoyed beating Erik into submission if he did not obey.

We may have only spent two years in Iran but it seemed like a lifetime. I did not attend any of the executions Erik, even thought they were open to certain people to attend. I did not have the stomach to watch these people die, guilty or not.

In the end I'm glad I did not watch Erik kill those people. They way those who did watch spoke of the they were merciless murders of someone who enjoyed the bloodshed. Occasionally I would see Erik after, he has a grin on his face that made my blood run cold and he was drenched in blood from head to toe. The human has 10.5 pints of blood in their body and Erik made sure to drain ever millilitre of it, draining the bodies. He did...other things as well.

Did you know that murderers, rapists and all other criminals don't commit the crimes for the actual act? But the power that it affords them? It's true. Erik didn't care about the murdering. He cared about the power over humans that he gained from it. When he killed he got more power than he had ever known, the power of money, power over people and most of all power over himself.

For Erik it was like being intoxicated. He continued both lines of his work, the architecture and the assassinations. Eventually he brought the two together and requested that a torture chamber be built for his jobs. The request was granted and Erik had a new toy to play with.

The Leader kept trying to gift Erik with prostitutes from the streets. Erik would become angry and send the girls away. The Leader took this as an insult.

Erik was ordered to be blinded. Somehow he convinced them to let him go. I had no idea how he did that at the time, no one had ever gotten away alive if they angered the leader. I learned very recently that they had struck a bargain.

Erik was to remain loyal to Iran and it's governing body in exchange for his freedom. If not...well, they were able to do whatever they chose with him.

They also employed me to keep an eye on him. I'm not ashamed to admit that he is what I think he is Christine. Why would someone such as Erik want to be bound by the laws of humans? He always despised us for what we did to him.

When we left Erik wanted to pursue his music more seriously. He could make the angels weep with his music Christine. Back in Iran he used to write requiems for every person he killed. Such a mournful sound it was! It was dark and haunting...and so full of sorrow. I sometimes wonder who those requiems were really for. His victims? Or the pieces of humanity he lost in himself when he killed? I still don't know the answer to that.

Erik suggested instead of going back to the U.S we live in France. He said his music would thrive and flourish here. I agreed, forced to go wherever he went. We came to France and I was shocked to find that Erik had actually grown up here.

He first took me to Rouen, managing some accounts that he had and some land. We stayed there for an amount of time before we moved on. We traveled around France, going wherever Erik wanted.

His music always caught people's attention. But they never saw the masked genius behind it. He would sell his pieces and gain more and more money which he almost never spent besides if we needed a room and food. Eventually we wound up in Paris. Erik was tired of traveling by then, tired of everything I believe. He seemed to have the life sucked out of him. There were so many times when I thought he would simply will himself out of existence.

There was only one thing that kept him alive and that was you. He knew that if he ever saw you again you would help him regain his humanity. You have no idea how often he spoke of you! I thought he was insane-quite frankly I didn't think you even existed.

Then, I received a phone call about a week ago. Erik sounded so happy! He said that he had found you again. I thought that the monster had finally gone insane. Then I met you. You seemed to implore the violence in him, I had no idea that he was really in love with you.

Then, two days ago we found that body of Joseph Buquet. At first I thought it was just a coincidence that he was strangled. The Erik I knew would have killed him in a much more violent, bloody way. But it was no accident that he had the Punjab lasso markings on his neck. That was when I knew that it was Erik who killed him.

I didn't know why though-sick pleasure? Maybe you had left him and he was angry at the world. Or maybe he felt like he didn't have enough power.

Either way I wouldn't have him killing again. Not innocent people this time. So I did the only thing I could think of: I called my connections in Iran.

I don't have enough status to reach the Leader personally. I'm merely his assassin's keeper. I reached his assistant Rasheed instead. They arrived last night and alerted me to their presence.

I can tell you what I was thinking as they arrived. They said that love turns the world around. If so, then what about those people who Erik murdered? They had been loved and they had loved. They made whomever they loved world spin just a bit faster. I couldn't allow that to happen again. For someone to lose their world.

This morning Erik entered the police station. Why I have no clue. But he did. I distracted the entire police force and allowed Rasheed ample time to capture Erik.

And then, I realized what I had done. So I came here to tell you that Erik was gone."

There was an absolute silence in the room for a moment. All three women were crying. Not just for Erik, for everyone involved in this sordid tale. Finally Christine spoke.

"He was turning himself in you know. To the police-to admit to killing that man. I'm sure of it. He does feel bad Nadir. He is still human despite what you think. And he is a man who can be hurt like any other. You say that the world spins faster with love? What if I were to tell you that I love Erik? As much as any of those men loved the people that were special to them? What if I were to tell you that because of what you did-taking Erik away from me- has destroyed my world. You have to think about the other side Nadir. Not just the victims."

Nadir sighed and nodded.

"I know that now. I've been in this business for too many years Christine. Far too many. Seeing people murdered for reasons like religion, revenge, honour. And sometimes there are no clever quotes to recount what happened that day. A person-sometimes many people die. There is no clever quote to say what happens in those days-"

"Wait- are you trying to say that you feel sorry for those who die when it's necessary? There are people who give their lives out there for good reasons Nadir. Erik has never killed an innocent man. He helps keep this world safer. You're right there are no quotes for those times that Erik killed but still-" Christine raged. Nadir held up a hand, halting her rant.

"Let me finish. Sometimes the day just....ends."


	16. Chapter 16

**So sorry for making you wait so long! That wasn't my intention I swear! But since I last updated I had a 8 day trip to Vegas (I saw Phantom 4 times while there...), started school (I should actually probably be working on my homework right now...) and have been crazy sick. So please don't blame me. I tried to write fast. I started this chapter yesterday and finished it today.**

**Anyway-I'm super excited! I get to see Hugh Panaro in concert next Saturday! For those of you who don't know who he is he's a former Broadway Phantom. I think he's amazing. I will now go back to watching my friend's dvds that she lent me of Criminal Minds for the weekend....happy Sunday everyone!**

**Phantom (c) Gaston Leroux-Erik character design (c) ALW.

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****Chapter 16**

Erik felt groggy as he woke up, his whole body was throbbing. It felt like someone had beaten him with a club....multiple times.

He was aware of some type of liquid leaking down his leg. Then he suddenly remembered what had happened before he had been drugged.

Rasheed had found him. And he was here for either one of two reasons-for revenge, or to kill more innocent people. There was no other option. Rasheed was someone who had not an ounce of good in him. His psyche was twisted and no good.

And for the first time in a long time Erik was at the mercy of another human. And it terrified him. The last time he had felt this helpless was when those boys had beat him into submission when he was living on the streets.

And he hated it. He hated not having power. It stemmed from how his mother had always controlled him. It made him panic. And now, he was being controlled again.

"Hurry up and staunch the bleeding. I don't want blood stains all over the room. And we need him to live." He heard Rasheed's voice command.

He tried to process this information. Obviously he was in a room. He didn't know where or how long he had been out. Obviously he was still bleeding so it couldn't have been that long.

And Rasheed wanted to keep him alive. For now.

The next thing he noticed was his mask was not on. His head was hanging and his face was on display. This made him even more furious. He was vulnerable.

He was tied to a chair. It wasn't rope that was binding him. It was ties. The ones professionals use. But that didn't say much. You could easily find these at any hardware stores. His ankles were tied to the chair legs and his wrists were tied together. There was no real way to get out.

He was pondering what to do when something touched the bullet hole on his leg. He flinched and bit his lip. It was a needle full of anaesthetic. The sharp sting of the wound eventually faded into a dull throb.

He raised his head and looked at Rasheed who was sitting across from him in a decidedly nicer chair.

He was mocking him, sitting there drinking a nice wine. He grinned as he saw Erik open his eyes.

Erik examined the room, looking for anything that he could use. It was a nice room, obviously a hotel one. It had two beds, was spacious, had a kitchen unit and a fireplace in it.

He felt someone probing into the bullet hole. It didn't hurt, but he could feel it. They were probably trying to get the bullet out.

He felt a sharp tug and winced. They weren't being gentle there. Hopefully he wouldn't feel that later.

"Hello Erik. Did you have a nice sleep?" Rasheed asked. Erik looked at him and narrowed his eyes.

"Give me my mask." Erik demanded. Rasheed shook his head.

"What's the fun in that? You don't need your mask. You're ugly enough without it."

Erik's fury rage within him. He wanted to kill him. Wanted to murder him in terrible ways. He wanted to hurt that man for hurting him. He wanted to get back at him.

"So-Monsieur le corpse- that is what they would call you in France is it not? Do you enjoy the pleasure of knowing you will kill again?" Rasheed asked, seemly in a conversational tone.

"What makes you think I will kill again?" Erik found his voice.

"Well, is it not obvious? We have not taken you for a pleasant chat. We are here for business. And you _will _obey."

Erik was bewildered. And very much aware of the man taking the bullet out of his leg, very slowly. And the blood that was leaking from the wound.

"Why should I obey you? You have never done anything for me. Even if you threaten to kill me at the moment no one will care. No one will come to save me. I can't even bring up the very idea of caring. I will not kill again." Erik replied, knowing this was true.

"Do you really expect me to believe that? I have two words for you my friend: Christine Daaé."

Erik stiffened.

"Who would that be?" He managed to ask, somewhat calmly. Rasheed gave him a knowing smile.

"You know very well who she is. And exactly how Maximillian Gunther is connected to her. To him, she's the one that got away. I know where she is right now. I know 10 ways how to make her die right now with a simple phone call. I also know that you have feelings for her. Or else she would know that you are missing?"

God damn it all.

"Are you trying to prove something to me Rasheed? Taking my mask off, showing me that you know the one person who I actually give a damn about. What are you showing me?" Erik demanded.

"You're pathetic, as you've always been. You're so emotionally fragile it's quite funny. And vulnerable. Did I mention how vulnerable you are? All you do is hide yourself so that you put on a facade of toughness, of someone who doesn't care."

"Shut up. Just tell me what you want me to do. Why do you need me? I'm sure that you could handle whatever is wrong on your own. Oh-and throw in the question of where are we and you have about 1/3 of the questions I want to ask." Erik said bitterly. For a brief moment Rasheed's face grew dark, then he wiped all emotions from it.

"You will do as you are told. We are still in France, I will tell you that. I will not tell you where. We will not be leaving the country. The man who wants you needs you to stay here." He said quickly, as though this had been rehearsed.

Erik was about to ask more questions when Rasheed motioned to the man who was tending to his leg to stand up. He did so and put the bullet in a container. Rasheed stood up, the man following him, and left the room.

* * *

Christine was in a near panic. No one knew where Erik was, where he had gone after he left the police station. They checked the security tapes and saw that Erik had been shot. She had been terrified that the wound would kill him. Nadir calmly explained that it wasn't serious enough that he would die unless they let him bleed a couple days. And also, they most likely wanted him alive. Or else they would have shot him in the office.

Even so, he was a bit pale after they left the building. They retreated to Erik's house, their current main base. When they did so Nadir took Christine off to the side as Meg and her mother went to go get something to eat from the kitchen. Erik had been missing for about 6 hours by this time.

"Christine...I want to apologize for what I said back there. I had no right to say that. The truth is, I feel guilty. This is all my fault. I could have stopped Rasheed from getting to Erik. But I believed the worst in Erik. I've been in this job too many year Christine, far too many. I believe that worst in people. It's something that I realize now is a sign that I've been working for too long. That I believed there was no more good in the human race. I used to walk into the office and wonder why the senior chief never smiled. I have to say now that I wish I could still think that way."

Christine was touched by his apology. She knew that he had been beating himself up over Erik's capture more than anyone. But, that didn't mean she was ready to forgive what he said about Erik being a monster so easily.

"Yes, well-you can make it up to me by helping find Erik." She said gruffly, walking back towards the kitchen.

Nadir just sighed, watching her go. He wondered if she would ever find it in herself to forgive him. If he were her he doubted he would.

He thought back to when he had seen Erik murder. It had made him sick to his stomach, and he wondered if he could possibly be what this boy desperately needed. He needed someone to show him the right way, the difference between good and evil. Not a conscience.

That was something he would never be able to give him, he could never be a father-figure to someone. He couldn't even keep his wife from divorcing him back in America. Thank God he had never had children. What would they have turned out like? They would have had a father who was never there, they might have turned out like Erik in the end.

Nadir wondered what path his life had taken since all those years ago from when he first met Erik. And how had he been changed. Had it been for better? Or for worse?

He remembered when he had been first married, him and his wife had been happy. But they had a low income. Nadir had just relocated to the U.S from Iran and was going through the police training academy despite the training he had taken in Iran. His wife was a schoolteacher who had lived in America since she was three years old. They had met through some mutual friends.

They had lived in a rundown flat that his wife-at that time his girlfriend- paid for. At the time they had been poor but happy. But Nadir knew that she deserved better. The week before he graduated the academy he proposed marriage and she accepted.

He felt ashamed that the ring he had bought her was the cheapest one out there-and the wedding was almost worse. They could not afford the luxuries a lot of people could.

After the wedding he promised himself that he would work as hard as he could so that they would never be short of money again. And he did, his income was decent, it got better as he went up the ranks and he could afford more and more luxuries.

But slowly his wife grew apart from him, distant. He was never home anymore, never with her. He realized now that was the problem.

He came home early one day, after a short shift and went upstairs to surprise her. He realized he hadn't seen her in a long time unless they were sleeping and he wanted them to have a romantic evening together.

He walked upstairs towards their room, silent as cat for he had taken his shoes off. He heard some strange noises coming from the bedroom. They sounded like moans. Suddenly he heard his wife screaming.

He was still in uniform, he had trigger locks on his gun but he swiftly removed them.

He broke the door down and witnessed his wife having sex with another man. She had looked shocked at first, then guilt ridden. He had felt like his heart had been torn in two.

He learned later that there had been at least 7 other men in the 4 years they had been married. All coming over and using his wife while he was protecting people.

She had apologized, said it would never happen again. Said she loved him. All while naked and with another man in her bed.

He told her to get out of his house-the house that he had worked to provide for her. So that she could be happy. He filed for divorce papers the next day.

After that he had never really connected with any woman, if one of them started to get too attached to him he would move on without even a goodbye. He had learned his lesson the first time.

Was it really fair that he was taking his past mistakes out on Erik? It wasn't the boy's fault that Nadir had a disastrous marriage. And it didn't mean that Christine or Erik would do that to each other. The boy was besotted with her.

He sighed again, wandering back into the kitchen. The smells of food were making him hungry. The ladies were talking about how to possibly find Erik. Where to start.

Nadir thought about it for a minute, then stuck his hand into his pocket and fingered the business card that was in there, he was in deep thought.

He had to do what was right, no matter what. That is what they taught him to do at the academy. He hadn't followed that rule in too long. He was only concerned about his own hide. Maybe it was time for him to care about someone else for a change.

He was broken out of thought when he heard a knock on the door. Who could it possibly be? The only people who Erik knew were in his house already.

But maybe it was the postman. You never knew. But it was best not to leave the person waiting. If it was Rasheed or one of his gang they would come in anyway.

Nadir grabbed his gun from the table where he had set it, trying to figure out a plan. The women came out and looked worriedly at the increasingly impatient knocks coming from the door.

He crept towards the door, worried about the women. Finally he turned the knob and swung the door open, his gun pointed at the target's head.

"H-hey! What's the matter with you?! Get that gun away from me!" The boy who had been at the door demanded. Nadir blinked and lowered the gun slightly.

"And you are...?" He prompt, bewildered.

"Raoul! What are you doing here?" Christine asked, shocked. She stepped towards the door. Everyone in the room but Raoul giving her a strange look.

"This Raoul de Chagny-my childhood sweetheart. But how did you find this place Raoul? Why are you here?" Christine demanded, suddenly remembering that Erik was missing and they didn't have time for this.

"I followed you here the first night. Then, when you didn't show up for our meeting I went to the bar. Remy and Jack told me you hadn't showed up for work. We're all worried about you Christine! And I knock on the door and I have a gun pointed at my face?! What on earth is the matter?" Raoul shouted, then he calmed down for a moment.

"Look, Christine. I know that I may come across as harsh. But I still love you and if you're in danger I want to help. Call the police or something. What's wrong?" He asked in a gentler tone.

Nadir lowered his gun completely and motioned for Raoul to come inside.

"Boy-I am the police. And trust me on this, there will be no one else out there that can help us."


	17. Chapter 17

**So, so sorry for taking so long. But everything has been crazy! Wizard of Oz production has taken over my life, as well as school has. All of my spare time is for studying and homework and it's been crazy! But I have Spring break for the next 9 days so it's all good. I've just been really rushed for everything so don't expect this chapter to be as good as any others. It's about 2 pages shorter as well. **

**I got to meet Hugh Panaro by the way! He was so nice and amazing! And wearing a really weird shirt...but it was all good. His voice is amazing. He gave me an autograph and was really nice!**

**By the way-Any thoughts on Love Never Dies?  
**

**Phantom (c) Gaston Leroux.  
**

**CHAPTER 17**

"You are Erik correct?"

Erik's head jerked up. He had briefly fallen asleep after Rasheed had left. It was hard to believe that just two nights ago he had Christine with him and he was safe from harm....relatively safe anyhow.

But things change.

"What does it matter to you?" He asked the man testily. He didn't know this man, but the man seemed to know him.

Taking a good look at him Erik realized he was very unremarkable in every way. He had brown hair, was of average height, there was no distinguishing marks on him. No way for someone to tell him from the average Joe. Damn.

The man chuckled when he heard Erik's snappish comeback.

"No one you need to know about yet. For now you can call me 'sir'." He replied.

Erik gritted his teeth.

"There is no one in this world I will call sir. I would sooner call you 'dead meat'." Erik hissed. His leg was throbbing. He supposed the stories were true-being shot really did hurt worse the second day.

The man narrowed his eyes at Erik's response.

"And I would rather call you mud than Erik but it seems we need to have some courtesy in this." He replied. Erik forced a laugh.

"Courtesy sir? Do you know what courtesy is? You kidnapped me here, are threatening innocent people and if Rasheed is to be believed you want me to kill someone. No there is no courtesy or anything other than hatred towards you from me."

Erik expected some reaction out of the man. But he just shrugged.

"Alright. But I hope you are aware that if you refuse to do what I require not only you die but everyone who knows about what you did in the past. Nadir Khan, Antoinette Giry, Meg Giry and Christine Daae to name a few."

Erik stiffened at the names. The man wouldn't kill them...would he?

"In case you're wondering I probably wouldn't kill all of them." He said, as though reading Erik's mind. Erik sagged in relief.

"No," the man continued "I would probably play with them a bit first. But only Meg and Christine. I'm not much for men or older. Nadir and Madame Giry would have to die first I'm afraid. Oh! Even better! I could make Meg watch her mother's death for added effect! And then maybe tie the remaining ones to my bed...."

Erik grew cold in fear. He could not allow that to happen. He already owed Antoinette and Meg everything. As for Christine...he owed Christine his soul, his heart and everything he had. He loved her to the very depth of his dark soul.

"Damn you. If you hurt them...." He growled, straining against his ties. The main raised an eyebrow.

"I wouldn't be talking about threats if I were you." He said, as though he were amused.

Erik realized he was in no place to make threats. But, old habits die hard.

"Whatever you say oh great one." He said sarcastically. The man's expression lit up.

"That's not bad! Keep calling me that!" He said excitedly. His expression grew thoughtful. "Yes...I shall have to go by that now."

Erik's expression was one of disbelief. Who was this man? Erik had never known someone to have such a God complex!

"No one will call you anything if you don't let me go!" He snarled. The man's face took on a mocking expression.

"Oh dear! I should be terrified! The man who is tied up, shot in the leg and is in unfamiliar territory is going to kill me! Someone call animal services!" His face then grew serious. "I don't think so. Pick a choice Erik. Have them all die-including you eventually-or kill someone who deserves it."

Erik thought about that for a moment. Could he really cost innocents their lives when their only sin was knowing him?

"How do I know that the person you want me to kill deserves it? And that they are not an innocent? Unlike you I do not take pleasure in killing."

A wicked glint appeared in the man's eye.

"That's not what I hear. From what Rasheed tells me they tell stories over there about you that can make grown men wet their pants. At the mention of your name every person in their palace tries to run away. Hell-even though he's tried to hide it I've seen Rasheed pale at the mention of you! So-don't lecture me on killing."

Erik inhaled sharply at the reminder of his past. He hated to think about his past. And without his mask the man could see everything he was thinking. For the first time in a very, very long time he felt vulnerable.

"Why don't you just do this job yourself? Why do you need me for this?" He asked.

Something flickered in the man's eyes then died.

"You have no right to ask that. And I will not answer. I shall leave now. You have exactly three hours to make your decision."

He walked out and Erik cursed.

"Get back here you coward!" He shouted, struggling against his binds.

But they were tied to tightly for him to do anything about them. Whoever tied them either aced their boy scout test or had done this a lot. Possibly both.

His leg throbbed and he gritted his teeth in pain.

"Can you at least tell me who I'm going to be killing?!" He shouted at the roof. He doubted they heard him.

To his surprise a screen popped out from the room. It looked like one of the ones they used for projectors.

Pictures started flashing across it. Mostly of a man doing what looked like dubious activities.

"That's Vincent Davis. He's one of the world's largest drug dealers. Not only does he deal he has labs set up all over the world. He's here for a convention. We have to get rid of him." A voice from behind Erik said. Erik didn't even bother to look around. The man had come back.

"Why do you need my help for that? He seems pretty easy to take out if you ask me. He doesn't look like he's too careful or particularly trying to hide what he's doing. He's being arrogant and cocky." Erik analyzed.

The man nodded.

"You're right about that. He is being an arrogant bastard isn't he? But there's one thing that everyone else has that you don't."

This, Erik was curious about.

"What would that be?" He asked, intrigued.

"Morals."

With that a picture of Vincent, a young women and a boy that looked around 5 years old appeared on the screen.

"For the safety of a lot of people we not only need you to kill him but his wife and son as well."

With that, he left the room.


End file.
